What AsiaPacificEd participants say...

“I can say that I am grateful, really grateful, to have had the opportunity to travel to Cambodia with the East-West Center….Thank you for creating an itinerary that took each participant’s individual interest into account. Thank you for including such a diverse group of speakers to teach us about a broad spectrum of issues. Thank you for honoring times when we needed to rest and collect our thoughts on all that we were experiencing. Thank you for holding the group to the same high standard of professionalism that you hold of yourself. It was my honor to be included…. I would have hated to experience such an amazing place and people in a superficial trip.”

“A month has passed since the end of the travel seminar, and I doubt if there isn’t an hour that passes by that I don’t think of something about the program….What a wonderful trip to experience and to share with students, friends, and peers. It really broadened by educational horizons and was a life-changing adventure.”

“I learned so much! I have been changed forever. Thank you so much for arranging the life-altering trip for us….I am sharing my experiences with the teachers, students, administration, friends, and neighbors as well as family. We have all been enriched y the passion you brought to us.”

“This travel seminar surpassed any involvement I have previously had with teacher groups and trips not only professionally, but also personally. The experiences we had, the people we met and interacted with, and the thought and care [the East-West Center] put into creating an itinerary rich in content, meaning and exposure was outstanding.”

What 2006 "Partnership for Youth" Exchange Participants have said:

"I learned a whole new way of thinking, living, and looking at the world. Most importantly, that there are similarities among people everywhere."

"[This experience] has broadened my perspective toward life and has influenced my future…. The education and knowledge I received would never be learned through a classroom setting. I formed long lasting friendships with the U.S. as well as Thai participants, and I am thankful to have taken part in this program.”

"I learned more about Thai culture in two weeks then I could in an entire year in a classroom, and all this happened while I was having a great time."

[I learned] there is a big difference between knowing a country and culture "by the book" as opposed to what you observe just living with real people everyday. Getting to know real Thais proved my preconceptions wrong. Thais, like Americans, as individuals do not always behave strictly according to what is defined as a whole country's social values."

“[This] experience has showed us that we cannot view countries to be separate, individual places. Rather, we need to take a broader approach and view every country as being united on one planet."

“I was very happy to participate in the East-West Center program. I learned a lot, and I will use my knowledge to help and improve my school and my community….Thank you for everything."

“ I would like to say thank you very much for everything you provided for our Thai students [during their participation in the “Partnership for Youth” exchange program]. My student, Sainuree Yusoh, came [back] to school…with a happy face. Her peers were very eager to know about her experience in Hawaii. I had prepared some classes for her to talk about what she learned abroad. She made a good talk. It was very interesting for the [other] students.”

What 2005 Travel Seminar Participants have said:

"I will never be the same. An intense, enlightening experience that changes the way I view education, a people and their history."

"This is a unique opportunity to see the Thailand and Vietnam not available to tourists. Meet the people, see the schools, learn the history! The pervasiveness of Buddhism in Thailand was something I "knew" but never really felt until I saw the temples, monks, and spirit houses. The youth and vitality of Vietnam was an eye-opener. I guess I still expected to see a "crippled" country but their ability to move ahead and put the past behind them is inspiring. I am adding Vietnam to my course on East Asia and re titling the course "Contemporary Asia." My increased understanding of the Vietnam War will hopefully enrich my teaching in U.S. history. . . . I want to thank each and every one of you for an experience I will never forget. It exceeded my expectations, which were already set high from last year's summer institute. If I can incorporate even a fraction of what I've experienced, I know I will be a better teacher."

"Wonderful experience that has helped me on the road to becoming a world citizen. . . . Experience that will change you as a person and help you with curriculum in ways that [you] wouldn't expect."

"This was an incredible experience and I truly appreciate the opportunity to participate. As an elementary instructor, I feel that the earlier we can expose our students to different cultures of the world, the better. Thanks for including us! "

"My school emphasized a global education and teaching about the world. . . . This program has given me the experiences to make that happen in my science class. I am planning on using the Mekong River as my starting point. . . . Not being a history teacher, I had never studied this area. I actually knew little about it; now I am hooked and will continue to search out more information."

"[A]n experience of a lifetime. It will allow you to see different cultures with an expert's eye. I can't see how anyone could return from this trip and not be changed for the better."

"The best travel study experience for teachers interested in Asian culture. . . .A first-rate job! Thank you for all of your hard work and effort on our behalf. I am a changed educator!"

"I enjoyed Madam Ninh's* talk very much (* Ton-Nu-Thi Ninh, M.P. and Vice Chair, Committee of Foreign Relations, Hanoi, Vietnam). I found her interesting and I was glad we got the opportunity to speak with her. It is talks like this that impress me about this program. We are constantly being treated like professionals and we are given the best speakers. . . . I am going to try to weave Southeast Asia into many levels of my course bringing in religion, trade, empire, and other places. It has really given a new life to an area that is very important to many of my students."

"Southeast Asia has always been my favorite region to teach. Now I have personal experiences that I can bring to my classroom to make it seem more "real" for my students. It is now a place that I share with my kids through pictures, artifacts, and real events."

"Experiences you can't get as a tourist. . . . I now have actual first-hand photographs to supplement what I teach or present in class. The overall experience is going to inform my teaching not necessarily in specific ways but as an overall thing. My preconceptions about Vietnam have certainly been altered and will revise my teachings on that particular country. I didn't expect to love Thailand as much as I did. . . . [The program] very much has altered my misconceptions or preconceptions about the countries we visited. First-hand experience is invaluable."

"I never realized how little I knew about Southeast Asia until I tried to make a list of the things that I never realized without sounding completely ignorant. . . . I have recommended this program to my colleagues by explaining that the program is well conceived, organized, sensitive, and shows an amazing amount of respect for teachers."

What 2005 Summer Best Practice Institute Participants have said:

"Working with the people from all over the world was a WOW experience for me. To learn about each of their cultures and their ways of teaching similar subjects as mine [has] renewed my love of teaching! "

"Prior to this Institute, I had minimum knowledge of this area of the world. This experience will allow me to share my newfound knowledge with my students. I plan to do a unit on Southeast Asia after my India and China units. I will use the Five tHemes of Geography to frame my lessons. I ordered books about the various regional cultures to use with my students. I also hope to share many of the resources that I was exposed to these past two weeks with my colleagues. Having met people from Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand allows me to bring back first hand accounts of life in those countries to my students. This will broaden their world as it has mine."

". . . I have got a lot of great classroom ideas using literature, movies, and how to integrate weblogs into classroom activities. I also learned a lot from my group partners when we developed our lesson plans. They are just wonderful and have been very patient and helpful to me. . . . But the impact of the Institute does not stop when it ends. The relationships that we have built throughout the Institute will continue when we all get back to our own community, our own school. There will be a lot of collaboration between students, teachers, administrators from different schools, different countries and different cultures, This is even more exciting, because the impact of the Institute is not only on our teaching, but also on our students and our community. . . . The students who will be involved in the collaboration projects that we have planned are the future leaders of the world. We will start building cross-cultural understanding and friendship from the very beginning. This impact goes beyond the classroom, and can go beyond what we think it will be."

"This institute had a more profound impact than any other I have ever attended. . . . [It] will forever make an impact on my own teaching."

"Specifically I found the sessions to be informative and well organized with ample handouts. By infusing the methodology into the content presentations teachers are provided with "best practices" which they can take back to their classrooms. These practices are being taught in the best methods classes at the pre-service level. Consequently teachers will have experience using primary sources, community resources, project approaches, literature and the best technology. [We] can take these back to our students and share them with colleagues in our schools. This is an example of excellent professional development. In addition, the opportunity to learn from teachers from other cultures was especially important to me. It brings me closer to their countries and provided me with oral history and content that I can use. "

"This has been an incredible experience for me. I just returned from China and wondered how I would ever sit through a class. Well it was not a problem. The class moved fast and moved from background studies to activities. I enjoyed both the lectures and the discussions. I also loved the technology and the ways in which we can integrate technology into our classroom. . . . I have been to many, many workshops and taken many, many courses. This was the best, the very best."

“The whole experience was wonderful for Ross Local Schools and all our educators….Thank you for including Ross Local Schools in this program. I look forward to continued relationships with you and the East West Center.”

"I am so glad that I was able to participate in this Institute. Southeast Asia does factor in the Massachusetts Frameworks, but is often focused on at the end of the school year when so many other things are going on. This Institute has made me more aware of the many issues surrounding the teaching of Southeast Asia, which include colonialism, Vietnam War, and the Cambodian people. Southeast Asia communities are increasing in population in Massachusetts, and I feel that my students should be more aware of their history and culture."

"I never understood the history, or the magnitude and causes of the Khmer Rouge. My understanding of the causes of the Vietnam War was also limited. I'm afraid that before this Institute, I viewed Southeast Asia as Indochina, not separate countries with powerful histories, but small islands/peninsulas which interacted with other world powers. Now I know better."

"The Institute was a breakthrough experience for me. The content level and quality was first rate and each presenter was thoroughly prepared with specifics to our group. I return home with a wealth of knowledge of the region, the culture and detailed ideas of how to implement Southeast Asia into the curriculum. I recognize that my knowledge and appreciation of Southeast Asia has grown dramatically and for that opportunity I am very grateful."

“This program is so worthwhile, and a learning experience for all involved that is necessary and valuable in today's complex world where misperceptions and stereotypes abound….I truly think that this is such a good model for helping to break down stereotypical ideas about one another and to foster real growth in understanding from a ‘people to people’ perspective."

“One of the best parts of this program is that our students are able to interact with Muslim people and see them as intelligent, warm, interesting individuals. Having the visiting teachers in classroom, speaking beautiful English, interacting with students does more than any textbook could ever do in helping to overcome stereotypes.”

“The Pearl Harbor workshop and the “Best Practice” Institute have been two of the most amazing things I have ever done… .East West Center has put together a program that is so positive and so successful. I feel that my participation in this program helped to bring people together and knock down some barriers.”

"It will be very difficult to "summarize" this incredible workshop - but I will attempt to do so! The study of WWII has always been on great interest to me; however, I have not been able to include it adequately in my curriculum due to time constraints. With the rich array of information and materials provided during this workshop, I now feel that I can do justice to this topic [by] highlighting Pearl Harbor. Working with our teacher colleagues in Japan using "telecollaboration", I hope to develop lessons about this important time in American history utilizing lecture and discussion notes taken over the course of the week. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. . . . I appreciated the well-organized structure of this workshop. Initial introductions, overview of the week's activities, and the immediate site visitations set the tone for me."

"A lot of knowledge and thinking about Pearl Harbor and WWII that I got in this workshop is not well known in Japan, so I will share them with not only my students but my colleagues as well"

"After over 20 years of teaching, I feel that this was the best and most influential workshop I have attended."

"During this workshop, I met great American teachers, and we became friends. . . . I am looking forward to realizing our projects about Pearl Harbor and World War II with American teachers and students."

"I've made contacts with people in my state, my country, and in Japan that will allow me to expand the collaborations we began at this workshop.... I have to say this has been the best workshop I've ever attended in my 32 years of teaching! "

"The opportunity to meet with teachers from both the U.S. and Japan cannot be valued. This experience opened my mind t the Japanese point of view and the emotions they hold regarding the Pacific aspect of World War II. Even though I have taught Japan's reasons for bombing Pearl Harbor, after this week, the task will be easier and more neutral in point of view."

"I loved this experience. It was well organized, the speakers were carefully selected, [and] there was a balance between content and application. I am doing a presentation for my entire district on this workshop and our student council is going to sponsor a "Pennies for Pearl" drive. I will do a unit on Pearl Harbor for all of our 10th graders."

"Fantastic workshop. I will most certainly do a more thorough job of teaching Pearl Harbor thanks to this workshop. Sharing ideas with my fellow teachers (especially from Japan) has been most empowering. The sessions on telecollaboration and oral histories will change many of the things I currently do in my WWII classes. I will endeavor to get my school actively involved in raising funds for the Arizona."

"My workshop experience was a great one. I loved being able to talk with the presenters to "pick their brains" and learn from them. I anticipate that I will use much that I have learned from this workshop such as the telecollaborative learning and oral history. . . . I would like the issue of history and memory to be one of the guiding concepts of my course throughout the school year. . . .I am very excited to try to use the telecollaborative learning in my classroom, especially with a Japanese school. I feel that being located on the east coast of the United States really shapes my students' perspectives, and they do not think about Asia very much. The ability to have them communicate with students from Japan will be a great experience for them that will broaden their thinking and concept of a global community. I also would like to try a video-conference with a Pearl Harbor veteran, and I think that this might be something that the whole school could take part in."

T. Chen, Kingswood-Oxford School, Connecticut

"This workshop has been an invaluable experience for me. I cannot wait to get home and utilize the information that I have received in this workshop. Going to the actual attack sites was very helpful for me to visualize the attacks of not just Pearl Harbor, but the island of Oahu as well. I enjoyed listening to the experts. They offered some great ideas of incorporating the content into the curriculum. The wows for me were discovering the terms that got lost in translation . . . how different Japan and U.S. teachers are about WWII . . .working with the Japanese teachers . . . and the opportunities to speak with survivors."

"The Institute experience has been inspirational, meaningful and empowering. The main impact of this program is in the way I approach teaching and learning. There have been many inputs on how to make learning "student-centered" by giving students a choice to own their learning and by listening to their voices and allowing them to share their voices in the products of their learning."

"I just want to tell you how thankful our school is to have had the opportunity to host the two teachers from Thailand and the two teachers from Indonesia this week. One of the great highlights was when Iwan from Indonesia came to my Dance class and taught us the Thousand Hand Dance. It was so beautiful! My students and I have agreed to continue to practice it so that we can teach it to many more people at the Asian Festival we are having in the Spring...We are so fortunate to have had this opportunity to learn from these four wonderful teachers you sent to our school. I hope they enjoyed themselves as much as we enjoyed having them here."

"This has been an excellent workshop for teachers teaching English as a foreign language. We can learn English through discussion, talking, sharing . . . among our groups. We can take some interesting "Best Practices" back home to apply in class [or] otherwise share with colleagues."

"It was amazing to me how well [the teachers from Thailand and Indonesia] adjusted so quickly when their own lives are so different! Was a real learning experience both ways . . . for us and for them."

"[The sessions have provided us] . . . with new ideas and knowledge/skills to implement best practice teaching strategies, and [making] sure that this does not just stop here, by having and knowing there [are] still connections in the future with others in other countries."

"The [visiting teachers from Indonesia] are so interested in everything going on around here. We had an all day county teacher in-service yesterday and [we] filled their day with lots of more informal educational experiences. They joined a tour of the apple orchard and cider press with a group of preschool children, then a teacher expo where they talked to lots of educators. . . . [They also visited] an elementary, middle, and high school . . . and spoke at Walsh University to a cultural diversity class. We are having such a wonderful time! They prepared an Indonesian meal for us and we celebrated Senny's birthday with a "brownie cake" and ice cream. We've had a great time and the students and staff have fallen in love with them!"

"We [got] process and product assessment, and I will use both to really know the students' progress authentically. [The institute sessions] has showed me the theory and the application, so I have the procedural skill/knowledge to apply them in my classroom."

“It was a deeply rewarding week for each of us personally involved [in the ‘Best Practice’ Institute] as well as for our school community as a whole. The [visiting Asian] teachers were warmly welcomed and embraced as the embodiment of a learning opportunity for all students and staff. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to be a part of this worthwhile Institute. We look forward to working with you to deepen this years’ experience through ongoing partnerships with these teachers as well as being a part of new opportunities as they become available."

"[This Institute] opens my eyes to how important technology and primary resources are in teaching and learning. It is also a means of linking, partnership, and building mutual understanding among peoples in the world. Moreover, we as teachers can share ideas with one another around the world."

"The experience shows me a lot about so many things beyond my country. I can learn more from different people from different countries. Using the rubric is a powerful thing to assess my own achievement. I will certainly use the best practice [strategies] in my class because it is really engaging. I want my students to love learning. For all AsiaPacificEd staff, THANK YOU for this opportunity. It opens my mind and changes my view about us. People can live together no matter [where] they are from. Differences can always appear but love and understanding are the most important."

“This program was transformative. It opened up my view of learning across cultures, and it broadened by knowledge about education in general and teaching and learning in particular. In addition, this program has enriched my experience, which I can transfer to other colleagues, so that they will also be able to acquire new knowledge and apply it in the classroom.”

“It made changes in my mind. I open my new eyes on American education, American ways of life, and American wealth. I also saw new ways of teaching.”

“I learned that teaching English can be more interesting (it’s not just teaching the language), but I have to teach students to think, to learn, and to reach for what they want.”

“I learned many new teaching strategies [that will] improve not only myself, but also my students, my school, and my community….I learned how to make good lesson plans, how to understand students who come from different backgrounds, and how to teach my students to apply what they learn in their life….I have to change many things [in terms of] my teaching style. I will let students share…and give them a voice in my classroom."

“I have applied techniques from the “Best Practice” Institute, and the students have responded very well to the lessons. They seem more motivated to learn and are more active. Moreover, when I lead them through ‘critical thinking’ exercises, they are more curious and ask a lot of questions. When I taught a lesson using materials from the [Institute’s] ‘Multiple Intelligence’ session, they responded enthusiastically by telling me, ‘You know what we want. We love this!’ This sounded extraordinary to me, since they were not attentive students before….In addition, I am conducting a weekly study group session for English teachers [in Banda Aceh]. I am sharing what I learned from the East-West Center and the Metropolitan Learning Center, the school in Connecticut that I visited [Institute]. The teachers are very interested and appreciative, and they tell me that they feel lucky to be able to join the study group….This is only our second week and, already, some have tried out ‘best practices.’ Let’s see what they say next week….Thank you very much for giving us the great opportunity to join the East-West Center.”

“I am pleased to tell you that in the two weeks that I have been back, I have applied three techniques [learned from] the ‘Best Practice’ Institute, and I can already see a big difference in my students. They are so much more motivated to learn English and are trying harder than ever before to form sentences. Also, I am also eager to deepen my own knowledge and understanding of ‘best practices’ that I have decided that as the focus of my thesis. Thank you, East-West Center.”

What 2004 Travel Seminar Participants have said:

“Clearly delivered what it was set up to do. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

“Textbooks and travel guides can only go so far in conveying the sights, smells, sound and ideas of another culture. There are some things that just cannot be explained or shown, but need to be experienced and felt. There were also many great opportunities with professionals [in this Travel Seminar] that we would not have access to as individuals. We talk about sparking our students’ interest in a subject. This is the mega-spark to invigorate our teaching. . . I am extremely grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I would not have been able to get the kind of information I gathered, to explore all the places we visited in such a limited amount of time, to experience a home-stay, and to compile such a distinguished list of contacts.....on such a limited budget except for this Travel Seminar.”

“A “wow” for me was the contrast between Vietnam and Thailand: the strong emotions I felt at the Mekong, the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi...and at the ‘Death Railroad’ and the cemetery of almost 7,000 allies who perished working on the railroad during WWII. I plan to introduce my students to the cultures of Vietnam and Thailand...and introduce a cultural element to our county and area ESL programs . . . to help teachers understand the customs and cultural backgrounds of these students. I can’t thank you enough for this ‘life-altering’ experience. It has me ‘pumped’ to find ways to use what I have seen and learned…to share it with others. THANK YOU!!!”

“Prior to this, I never took much interest in world events, governments, economy, or any of the social studies topics. . . . After this [trip], I am inspired. Now, in addition to the Science Channel, I will also be checking out the History Channel. . . . After this [trip], ideas that I will be exploring in my science classroom are water treatment methods, Agent Orange, and mining and gem deposit. . . . The personal enrichment made this an adventure of a lifetime for me.”

“Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to see Vietnam and Thailand. The group experience proved to be an exciting and challenging one. I thoroughly enjoyed learning so much from so many knowledgeable people. I appreciated meeting and spending time with the unique and very special people that the East-West Center prearranged for our group. It was an unforgettable experience! It was an experience that I will continue to think about and share with family, friends and colleagues.

"All of the experiences of the trip coupled with the reading I have done related to Southeast Asia has greatly increased my knowledge base, which enables me to be a better resource person for the staff and students of my school. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this travel seminar. My recent interest in Asian studies has been a shot of adrenalin for me both personally and professionally. I did not study Asia in undergrad or graduate school, so I have been seeking out opportunities such as this one to further my education about Asia. This program met my expectations and has greatly enhanced my understanding of Southeast Asia. "

What 2004 Southeast Asia Institute Participants have said:

“Out of all the conferences I have attended, this was the best. It taught content but it also gave us ways to use this knowledge in the classroom. The interactions among the participants and the presenters added to the powerful impact.”

“This [institute] is an increasingly vital part of the world we know so little about. Be prepared to meet interesting people, be fed well, learn a lot and come home with excellent teaching materials.”

“I was especially moved by the stories of Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees. I will definitely include these into my curriculum. Also, the interactions with the Thai, Indonesian and Chinese teachers were invaluable!”

“One of the biggest "wows" was [learning about] how refugees were being treated. Another was how much prejudice and stereotyping we subject other people to. I was amazed at how advanced their countries are. I was "vowed" by the parallels between our religions, histories, and cultures. I also was amazed at how much we use our "western glasses" to see the world; we miss so much."

“When I arrived in Bandung, all my friends asked assorted matters about [the Institute]. They are so curious to know about American schools, about teaching and learning processes and other [matters] related to schools. We (Indonesian teachers) are starved for information about American schools . . . the reality is that the other nations, especially America, are also very interested to know and learn about the culture, history and the other things of Asia, especially Indonesia. This [is what I] bring back [from] all my experience in Hawaii [for] the children and the students of Bandung, Indonesia.”

What 2004 Pearl Harbor Workshop Participants have said:

"As a veteran of 15 years of teaching, I have been fortunate to attend many programs. This one is the best."

By far this has been one of the best content-related professional development experiences during my career. The hands-on visits, actually seeing and being at the places of study, and the personal perspectives were unbeatable! I have learned so much!

"The workshop went far above and beyond my expectations. I came into the workshop with little knowledge of Pearl Harbor and Hawaii beyond what the textbooks and popular media had provided me with. I have been exposed to a multitude of perspectives and resources that I was completely unaware of. . . . I believe the variety of speakers and sites were most useful. Having the opportunity to encounter Pearl Harbor survivors, Japanese scholars, Hawaiians, and educators from around the country gave me an enriched educational experience. Being at the actual historic sites gave me a sense of place and time...My school district has recently changed our U.S. History curriculum from a traditional survey course to a full year, concentrating on 20th century. I will have the opportunity to take back what I've leaned and teach a week or two on "The Gathering Storm" and "The Storm Breaks." The workshop has given me the resources and ideas to expand what I would previously have covered in a day's work to a multiple-day activity."

"This workshop has been an incredible experience. It has met and exceeded my expectations. . . . I found the firsthand accounts of survivors and the hands-on experiences from the fieldtrips to be my most valuable resources. . . . There were many perspectives, opinions and events that happened during and as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor that I would never have been exposed to if I had not experienced this workshop. . . . I really learned from our middle school breakout group, especially when we combined our ideas together to create a unit that will actually be incorporated in my curriculum. . . . I definitely plan to expand my unit on Pearl Harbor and World War II, and I will be using two units that my group put together."

"The workshop was very appropriately diverse. Many provocative ideas were advanced that I had not considered before. . . . The workshop speakers were brilliant and were an indispensable part of the workshop, but the most powerful and poignant words came from the Pearl Harbor veterans. Also invaluable were the many discussions with my fellow teachers. . . . I will definitely incorporate documents, photos, etc., when I teach about Pearl Harbor, and be able to provide my students with a more sophisticated view of what happened on December 7, 1941."

Participant Feedback

What 2008 Partnership for Youth Participants have said:

What 2006 Travel Seminar Participants have said: