Six staff from South Eastern Regional College (SERC) have successfully completed a teacher exchange programme with the Early Years Department in Pingdingshan Vocational and Technical College (PVTC) in China.
Gillian Auld, Tom Le Seelleur, Olive Watson, Elaine Baskerville, Diane Weatherup and Sara Hope each delivered a 2-week programme focussing on: International Perspective on Early Childhood Education; Early Childhood English; Family & Community; Children, Youth and the Digital Age; Developing Children’s Thinking Abilities and Comprehension Skills; and Developing Professional Practice.
Feedback from students and staff alike has been very positive, with SERC Lecturer Gillian Auld (inset photo) commenting: “Teaching in China was an incredibly rewarding experience. Teaching in a lecture style theatre with large groups of up to 95 students really pushed me to think differently about engagement. I would highly recommend this opportunity to any colleagues. It is a unique and enriching experience, both professionally and personally.”
Elaine McKeown, Senior International Development Manager at SERC said, “This project is the next stage in our collaborative partnership with the China- Europe International Education Consulting Group (CEIECG) and Pingdingshan Vocational and Technical College. The project exposed SERC staff to a unique cultural experience and different pedagogical approaches whilst adding a new dimension to their continuous professional development portfolio. This long-term commitment will be extended to further staff and student opportunities both for SERC and for our partners in China.”
