By
Vyshu Ramini
One
of the largest differences between STEM and other high schools are the Chinese
classes offered to students. At STEM, we teach Chinese because we feel that it
pushes students and prepares them for many possible paths in their futures. However,
high school students are still given options in the type of Chinese course they
take. Through Wright State University, STEM offers College Credit Plus (CCP) courses
to sophomores, juniors and seniors. CCP bridges the gap between high school and
college courses, allowing high school students to take college level courses
and earn both credits. This gives students experience and lets them know what
to expect in the future.
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Some
of the largest differences between CCP and regular Chinese courses is the pace
of the course and the teaching style. Students in CCP are given summer homework
and jump right into the curriculum come fall, whereas students in regular
Chinese spend another chapter reviewing previous material. In addition, CCP
students are taught to apply their knowledge more and are taught mainly in
Chinese.
Lily
Chen, the Chinese CCP teacher at STEM has been teaching high school students for
six years. When asked about the importance of these advanced courses, she had
much to say. “This is an environment that students can learn with peers that
are about the same level. They can collaborate and challenge each other.” She
also feels that CCP is mainly for students who set their minds to pursue
excellence and want to do something that will help their future career and at
the same time, enjoy the culture and language by itself. Overall, she encourages
students who enjoy Chinese and want to challenge themselves to join CCP.
Much
of Ms. Chen’s feelings are shared with her current students. Katie Jones, a
student in Chinese CCP 2, joined because she liked learning Chinese. Katie also
encourages new students to consider joining. “If you like Chinese and don’t mind
doing a lot of work, it’s great. I like how interactive it is. If you put in
the work, it’s worth it.” Bri Perkins, another sophomore in CCP, loves that
while there is a lot of independent work, she still gets help from the teacher,
“In this aspect, it’s very effective in preparing for college.”
Overall,
if you enjoy studying Chinese and feel it will prepare you for the future, both
in college and career, consider CCP Chinese courses. But remember, it is a lot
of independent work and it counts in your college GPA!
