Visitors to the 2016 Global Confucius Institute Day celebration in Lexington paint a Beijing opera mask. The annual event is hosted by the University of Kentucky’s Confucius Institute, which offers a variety of Chinese language and cultural programs for K-12 students in the Commonwealth. Submitted photo by Lian Zhu, UK Confucius Institute

Visitors to the 2016 Global Confucius Institute Day celebration in Lexington paint a Beijing opera mask. The annual event is hosted by the University of Kentucky’s Confucius Institute, which offers a variety of Chinese language and cultural programs for K-12 students in the Commonwealth.
Submitted photo by Lian Zhu, UK Confucius Institute

The University of Kentucky’s Confucius Institute’s (UKCI) K-12 Chinese Language, Culture Development and Enhancement Program is designed to help Kentucky schools develop Chinese language and culture study programs. The program also promotes international exchange between the United States and China.

Educators can bring innovative international programs into their community, while also building their school’s Chinese program offerings. The Confucius Institute assists schools in the following programs:

  • Launch and/or expand a Chinese program — Provision of Chinese teachers
    • Assists in designing and planning the program and bringing the professional Chinese language teachers to jump-start the Chinese language and culture program.
    • Assists schools in conducting professional development workshops for the sponsored Chinese teachers.
  • Enrich your Chinese program: Field trips to China
    • UKCI Kentucky Educators’ Trip to China: This is a 12-day education trip hosted by the Confucius Institute and designed to help education decision makers start and expand their Chinese language and culture programs. All expenses within China are paid by the institute, excluding international airfare and visa application fees.
    • UKCI Kentucky High School Students’ China Trip: This is a 14-day study tour of China designed to help high school students to expand their Chinese language and cultural experiences. All expenses within China are paid by the Confucius Institute, excluding international airfare and visa application fees.
  • Professional development for social studies and art teachers: The UK Confucius Institute offers a series of four seminars on China: Chinese Religions and Philosophies, Chinese Art, Chinese Literature and Modern Chinese History. These one-day seminars, presented by scholars in the field, are designed to enrich your knowledge of these topics in preparation for their integration into your classrooms. While teachers may choose to attend one or more of these seminars, teachers who attend all sessions will be highly considered for the Kentucky Educator’s Trip to China. Books in the four areas will be purchased by the Confucius Institute and each participant will be given a set of these “course books” for their classroom use.
  • UKCI cultural showcase and school visits: The UKCI Chinese culture specialist team will make visits to K-12 schools at the request of the schools and teachers. Demonstration and workshops include:
    • Chinese martial arts and Tai Chi
    • Chinese calligraphy
    • Chinese painting
    • Chinese music
    • Chinese tea ceremony
    • Chinese dance
    • Chinese paper-cutting art

For more information, contact huajing.maske@uky.edu or call (859) 257-4607. More information is also available on the institute’s website. Follow UKCI on Twitter: @UKConfucius.