NEW YORK - More than 2,000 years ago, ancient Chinese philosopher and educator Confucius dreamt of spreading his ideas by traveling across the sea, but he never reached fulfillment. Today, just a 12-hour flight away, 176 Chinese teachers have successfully made the trip from China to the United States to teach Mandarin and culture courses in American schools.

In an effort to meet the increasing demand for Chinese language and culture courses in US schools, the Guest Teacher Program was established in 2007, a collaboration between Chinese Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) and the Chinese Language & Culture Initiatives at the College Board, headquartered in New York. The College Board is a membership association made up of more than 5,900 universities, colleges, schools and a wide range of educational organizations in the United States.

"Many schools served by the Chinese Guest Teacher Program do not have access to qualified Chinese teachers in their local areas, therefore, visiting teachers fill a critical need of US schools that attempt to increase their globally focused offerings," said Selena Cantor, director of Chinese Language and Culture Initiatives at the College Board.

Being part of the yearlong program is not an easy mission since all teachers need to go through a vigorous selection process before landing in the US. After rounds of intense interviews and an orientation session, they are assigned to hundreds of accredited K-12 schools and districts across the states.

"I was the only one who got selected among many qualified applicants," said Liu Ju, a college English teacher from Anhui province. She arrived in the US about two weeks ago and will be assigned to Mountain View Middle School and Mendham Township Middle School in New Jersey.

"Although I might be considered lucky, I'm facing a lot of pressure because I was told by previous Mandarin Chinese teachers that most American students are not as obedient as Chinese children, most of whom usually sit still and remain silent in class from the beginning to the end."

She has learned during her orientation how Chinese students are different from American students.

"Rather, American children tend to be more active, they may walk to the front to sharpen their pencils during class, put their legs on the desk and eat crackers during class," Liu said. "This is one major challenge but I'll try to come up with faster pace teaching patterns to keep them focused."

Xu Zhilin has been assigned to Brewster High School located in New York. Despite her 30-year rich teaching experience in China, Xu also expressed concerns about teaching abroad.

"I was also told that it takes greater efforts to keep American students focused in class and since Mandarin Chinese is generally considered difficult for most foreigners, I will have to think really hard to increase their interests in Mandarin." Xu said. "Maybe I can show them around Chinatown and let them start with the good taste of Chinese food."

Since the program launched in 2007, more than 580 teachers have arrived in the US. They have taught Mandarin Chinese from kindergarten to high school as well as a wide variety of classes, ranging from Chinese culture and literature to history. According to the enrollment data report, in the 2010-2011 school year alone, more than 30,000 students from approximately 240 elementary, middle and high schools participated in the program.

According to US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Chinese has become the second most popular foreign language behind Spanish in the US. Duncan previously told China Daily that the US needs to do a lot more to give its younger generation the appreciation of foreign languages, including Chinese.

Despite the benefits of language programs, these programs have also attracted criticism. While other countries promote their languages through cultural organizations, such as the Goethe Institute and the Cervantes Institute, programs aimed at expanding Mandarin and Chinese culture have encountered negative opinions from those who argue such efforts function as a means of propaganda for the Chinese government.

As for the teachers, they view their role as bringing the cultures closer together.

"Honestly, it's understandable to receive such criticism because disagreements and misunderstandings do exist. That's why we are here," Xu said. "And since most people don't have access to first-hand information about China by traveling or living there, I feel it's my obligation to let my American students know that kungfu is not the only thing they can relate to in China. But the Chinese younger generation watch Hollywood movies and do hip-hop dancing as well."

When asked why she teaches in America, Xu told China Daily, "I am simply volunteering here and not coming for money. But if I can help my students gain more knowledge about the outside world, I firmly believe mastering a second language would help them embrace more opportunities and benefit their future."

Liu told China Daily that she was shocked when a young college girl asked if Chinese families have televisions.

"In China, students start learning English in third grade or even kindergarten, which I consider a good thing because children tend to know more about the outside world than it knows about us," Liu said.

And instead of introducing the Silk Road and Beijing Opera to students, Liu plans to help them develop their knowledge by getting to know a two-sided China.

"A good combination of language and culture can lead to mutual understanding and harmony," she said. "But before presenting a taste of Mandarin and Chinese culture, I will be preparing delicious Chinese food for my students first, to warm them up."

China Daily