July 24th, 2012 - Local time, few people walked on the tranquil and peaceful campus of the University of Memphis, the United States during the summer holiday. But at the reception room of Confucius Institute at the University of Memphis on Floor 11 of Wald Building, a crowded and lively scene was staged �C Pre-post Intensive Training for New Teachers of the Confucius Institute at the University of Memphis was held in an orderly yet brisk manner.

Since the Confucius Institute was established in August 2007, it has been growing and thriving step by step; from no staffers to more and more staffers, they engage in Chinese language and culture promotion at different teaching sites in Tennessee, and the remotest teaching site is seven to eight hours' drive away from the University of Memphis. Several years ago, new teachers and volunteers directly went to their respective teaching sites from China. But the Confucius Institute decides to launch a reform from this year's summer holiday, hoping to move forward with well-targeted teachers' training and teaching symposium, and organize new Chinese language teachers and volunteers to receive intensive training at the Confucius Institute at the University of Memphis and then go to respective working places.

"We designed the reform out of three considerations. First, it takes time for new teachers who come from their familiar motherland to adapt to the whole-new environment in the United States so the intensive training at Memphis is a transitional period and can act as a cushion to help them rapidly adapt to their new life in the US. Second, we invite current teachers of the Confucius Institute and local Chinese language teachers to advice new teachers on the education system, mode, ideal and teaching methods of the US so that they can enter into working state rapidly. Third, we can better foster the teamwork spirit of teachers of Confucius Institutes. As our teaching sites are scattered in various places of Tennessee, some teachers and volunteers don't have the opportunity to visit the institute after one to two years of work for the institute. They even couldn't meet with each other. It's a great pity. This year's reform can help us avoid the regret and be conducive to enhancing the cohesive power," said Prof. Yang Yiping, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute.

The intensive training was officially started at 9:00 am. The director expressed warm welcome to all new teachers and volunteers on behalf of the institute, introduced overall conditions and put forward working requirements; Chinese director Yang shed lights on matters that teachers shall pay attention to in work, life and daily interaction. Then a teacher called Wei Pengcheng exclusively introduced local teaching materials the institute is developing. Participants discussed on issues related to the development and utilization of local teaching materials.

The Confucius Institute invited four local Chinese language teachers, including Li Xuemei from Lausanne Collegiate School, Li Zhihong from Hutchison School, Zhang Qianying from Ridgeway Elementary School and Xu Xiaolian from St. Mary's Episcopal School, to introduce the status quo of Chinese teaching at primary and secondary schools in the US, classroom management, utilization of teaching materials and teaching methods and took up questions of the new teachers. Such a typical American-style teaching symposium impressed every teacher and volunteer.

The first-ever intensive training produced positive results. A volunteer called You Jia who will go to Nashville for Chinese promotion said that she attended pre-post training organized by Hanban before coming here, but this intensive training is better-targeted and more localized. In particular, the Q&A session with the four local teachers benefited her a great deal. "I've learned a lot and I am too impatient to wait for the practice at school," You Jia said with a smile when being asked about her feeling. And Wang Ni, a new teacher dispatched to the Primary School affiliated to the University of Memphis said that the intensive training and life here rendered her a feeling that she's very lucky. She said that "I think the teachers at the institute are very dedicated. They sacrificed their own spare time to pick up new teachers, arrange our accommodations during the transitional period without any complaints. All people are highly motivated with excellent capabilities. I'm happy to work at the institute. The training is very practical, providing me with a deeper understanding about local Chinese teaching, specific concepts and having answered many of my questions."