Rural China Education Foundation

Volunteer teaching opportunities in China

The Rural China Education Foundation is a non-profit organization of overseas Chinese established to improve the lives of children in rural China through quality education. Quality education refers to curriculum and teaching methods that support well-rounded development, inspire joy in learning, and prepare students to make positive change in their communities.

While most organizations focus on material aspects of rural education, such as tuition fees, school buildings and computer facilities, RCEF focuses on the contents and methods of teaching and the utilization of human resources such as teachers, parents, and members of the community.

In our annual Volunteer Program, we bring our ideas to life. The program brings together carefully selected international volunteers and mainland-Chinese college students to teach in rural schools, participate in community-building and directly experience the realities of rural China today.

There are two ways to get involved in RCEF: in the Volunteer Teaching Program 2006 or as a year-round committee volunteer (or both).

The Volunteer Teaching Program 2006 will be held around July 14 - August 7. Volunteers receive training in Beijing, consisting of workshops and lectures on rural education, rural development, and student-centered teaching. This is followed by teaching in a village for two weeks. Sites are in Hebei, Anhui, Yunnan, Shandong, and others. Volunteers operate in teams and collaborate with mainland student teams (Student Volunteers for Rural Support).

Alternatively, you can apply to become a year-round committee volunteer. This will take a few hours a week. Expertise in education, sociology, rural development, or another relevant discipline is especially welcome. Our committees: Research and Curriculum Development, Fundraising, Public Relations and Education, and Translation.

For additional information and an application form, go to www.ruralchina.org/index.php?data=OPTION5

Published: Thursday, March 30, 2006