TCC-San Sin Model United Nations

San Sin High School developed a Model United Nations team and participated in a conference for the first time in August, 2012.  At that time, two of the American teachers from the San Sin Summer English Program were active participants in the Tallahassee Community College Model U.N. group. They assisted the students and coached them for the conference. Katie Lilly and Jessica Olive, active members of the TCC Model U.N., are teachers in this year's Summer English Program. They took this opportunity to meet with the San Sin students several times to provide a detailed introduction to Model U.N. and to help prepare the new team for the upcoming conference in July, 2014.

Katie and Jessica provided extensive information and handouts to the four participating San Sin students.  The San Sin students learned about the United Nations structure and conference procedures. They learned about the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  Katie and Jessica taught them important terms and phrases that would be used repeatedly at the conference, such as: placard, delegate, caucus, agenda, speakers list, committee, and formal debate.  

The San Sin Model U.N. team:  Rebecca, Karen, Joanne, and Ian.

And, San Sin High School's Rebecca Lin received a "BEST DELEGATE" award at the Kaohsiung Model United Nations Conference! We are so proud of her!

Rebecca Lin said:

"The Model UN conference was a great experience. It was a great chance to make new friends and expand my horizons. I was part of the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program), and our topic was combating deforestation.

The biggest challenge was that we were not allowed to use to word "I" in our speeches, because we're representing a country. However, this made me learn how to think in someone else's shoes and know what it is like to be a delegate.

Getting the "Best Delegate" award was totally out of my expectations.  It is such an honor.  I'm very grateful to have had this chance to participate in the event, and I hope I'll be able to be part of the Model United Nations again in the future.

Katie Lilly and Jessica Olive helped so much to prepare us for the conference. I don't know what I'd do without them!"

Week Three: Teaching about Leisure Time Activities

During the third week of the program, the American teachers focused on the curriculum topic of Leisure Time Activities.  The new vocabulary words included:  draw, paint, creative writing, play a musical instrument, reading, basketball, football, badminton, baseball, soccer, surf the web, dating, group dating, long-term relationship, long-distance relationship, and online dating.  

Class B with Teaching Assistant Alex

The San Sin students were asked to describe how they typically spend their free time, and what they enjoyed doing most.  Their answers varied, but their choices sounded like those of America students:  listening to music, going shopping, watching movies, playing basketball, and playing computer games.  Their teachers asked them to consider how dating practices in Taiwan may be similar and/or different to those in the United States. Many interesting comparisons were made!  While there are always cultural differences, some things are the same all over the world!

The American teachers learned very quickly that San Sin students love to sleep.  They will put their heads down and go to sleep, anywhere, any time!  They love to sleep in the classroom during their breaks, and they often take a nap after lunch. They'll sleep on the bus or just about anywhere!

  

Sometimes the TAs and teachers get very sleepy, too!

On Friday, the teachers arranged games for the students outside, to illustrate some of the sports and activities described in the unit.  The classes played kickball, ultimate frisbee, basketball, and soccer.  The teachers explained the rules of each game, and the students practiced the skills. Despite the warm weather, a great time was had by all!

The teachers were hosted to some very large meals during Week Three.  Jessica's host family took the American teachers to the Harbour buffet restaurant in the Hanshin department store.  The next day, Mr. Shih hosted the teachers at the Koreya Hot Pot restaurant for lunch.  

On Friday evening, Jingo's mother took the teachers to a traditional Taiwanese restaurant, with a "lazy susan" in the center of the table loaded with traditional dishes. On Saturday, the teachers enjoyed a home-cooked meal at the home of Gogo Liu's parents.  Taiwanese food is incredible, and the teachers enjoyed and appreciated every meal!

   

TCC Sister School Presentation

Tallahassee Community College and San Sin High School first forged a relationship in 1993.  Teachers from TCC were invited to teach for the first time in the Summer English Program that year.  Official Sister School documents were signed in 1995 when Becky Wu and other San Sin representatives traveled from Taiwan to Tallahassee for the ceremony. Since that time, TCC faculty and student teachers have traveled to Taiwan to instruct San Sin students every July in a month-long English program.

Several San Sin students have elected to enroll at TCC following their high school graduation. Some of them completed Master's degrees at Florida State University. Others earned degrees in Business and related fields.  Gogo Liu completed a degree at TCC in Respiratory Care in 2013. Jingo Huang is currently enrolled at TCC, and will attend Flagler College-TCC upon completion of her A.A. degree.

Gogo Liu and Jingo Huang made a presentation about TCC.

On Friday, July 11, Gogo and Jingo spoke to the San Sin students who are enrolled in the Summer English Program. They described their experiences in attending TCC, and informed the students about the steps necessary to attend college in the United States.  They discussed the TOEFL test requirements, the scholarships available, student housing, the TCC International Student Organization, the program choices, and other topics. They generated a great deal of interest in the San Sin students about the possibility of attending TCC in the future! 

Week Two: Field Trips and Teaching about the Zoo

The San Sin students and their teachers went on two field trips during the week of July 7-11.  On Monday, they boarded the school bus and traveled to the Soya-mixed Meat Museum.  The owner of this thriving food production business is Ms Chen, a graduate of San Sin High School.  The students and teachers toured the museum and production areas. They learned how tofu, seaweed, cooked eggs, and many other products are produced and shipped all over the world.

Ms. Chen described the development of the company over time, and encouraged the students to work hard to achieve their goals. The group danced to the theme song of the company and worked up an appetite.  Then, they were treated to a delicious noodle lunch!

On Tuesday, the students and teachers traveled to see the Snoopy 65th Anniversary Exhibition. Snoopy is a dog cartoon character created by Charles Schultz in the long-running comic strip PEANUTS.  The popular characters Charlie Brown, Lucy Van Pelt, Linus, Schroeder, and others are known to millions. The exhibition honors Schultz's work and draws attention to the unique characteristics of Snoopy and the other characters.  The San Sin students took lots of photos and enjoyed posing with the large replicas of each character! 

The curriculum topic during Week Two was "A Day at the Zoo."  The new vocabulary words included: mammal, reptile, amphibian, species, ecosystem, habitat, rainforest, desert, forest, arctic, endangered, and carnivore.  The teachers described animal habitats and the reasons why certain species are endangered.  They showed pictures of their recent visit to the Taipei Zoo, and planned an afternoon trip to the Shou Shan Zoo in Kaohsiung.  The students also learned some animal idioms, such as "Hold your horses!" and "Raining cats and dogs." 

On Thursday, the teachers, TAs, and some students rode the MRT and the bus until they reached the Shou Shan Zoo. Despite the warm temperature, they enjoyed seeing the animals.  They rode the zoo train around the perimeter, and saw many animal exhibits!

 

Katie and Jessica finished off the day with a delicious spinach and bacon pizza Taiwan-style!