Each year, as part of a long-running reciprocal exchange program, Harker’s global education department hosts a visiting teacher from the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS) in Shanghai.

This year, from Sept.12-25, students and faculty warmly welcomed Ye Wang (who goes by the English nickname Athena). Wang is an upper school biology teacher at WFLMS, Harker’s sister school in China.

She said she greatly enjoyed her very first visit to the United States, where she spent time observing and teaching science classes at Harker’s lower, middle and upper schools.

“Athena was thrilled by all the science labs she visited and the incredible conversations with students she had,” reported Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education.

Wang shared that she was most impressed by all the “nice people” she met. “Teachers were kind, nice, patient and helpful. Students were polite, diligent and creative,” she recalled.

Wang noted many similarities between the way Harker and WFLMS teach science – from the text-based content to the basic lab experiments. However, she added, what set Harker apart were the added research classes, field trips, and opportunities to learn from the experiences of area universities and professors.

“They all provide unlimited opportunities for the students to discover, investigate and research based on books … and also beyond books,” she explained.

Established in 1996, WFLMS is located in the southwest part of the Xuhui District in Shanghai, an area regarded as an important educational location. For many years, Harker has had both a student and teacher exchange program with WFLMS as part of its ongoing effort to build progressive academic and cultural relationships that prepare students to become global citizens.

“I appreciated everything, everyone I met. I hope our sister school program and friendship can last forever!” enthused Wang.