EDUCATION: International studies

Professor participates in People to People group's trip to China

Anthem resident Linda Miller always wanted to visit China. Her first trip to the country was 12 years ago, and she recently returned from her second as a participant in People to People International, an organization aimed at helping people from around the world come together to form friendships.

A longtime history teacher and currently a professor at CCSN, Miller was invited to be a part of the delegation last April by Jim Percoco, a People to People delegation leader Miller once taught with in Virginia.

Two hundred and seventy-six teachers were invited to take part in this People to People session, hosted by Beijing Normal University, from Dec. 2-9. The teachers were divided into 12 delegations, including history, which Miller participated in, and other subjects including multicultural education, early childhood education, science and math education and art education.

Each of the delegations included presentations about how subjects are taught in China, followed by presentations about how the same subjects are taught in the U.S. Miller said the purpose of the presentations was to help expand delegates' knowledge of other countries, and to gain tips about teaching styles. During the program, Miller and other participants also got to climb the Great Wall of China and visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

During her years as a world history teacher, Miller has traveled around the world, visiting China, Korea, Japan, Russia, Wales and Morocco, among other places.

"Most of the trips were related to education," she said. "Most included conferences or teaching or some sort of institute."

During the People to People program, Miller presented a paper on the Las Vegas Valley's Old Mormon Fort. She said the goal of the paper, which is posted on the National Park Service Web site (nps.gov), was to show others how to use any historic place to teach history.

Miller said she also gave a workshop at the Old Mormon Fort on Nov. 12, including lessons on teaching with historic places, and last August she was named the state coordinator by the National Council of History Education.

President Eisenhower started the People to People International program in 1956.

"He started this for people to get together, people to people, and become friends around the world," Miller said. "They also have this program for medical personnel, legal personnel, and other professions."

The program is held annually, and hosted by a different country each year. Miller said this is the second time China has hosted.

After initial sessions for each delegation and two days of workshops, the delegates visited local schools to see students and teachers at work. Miller took Nevada state pins and decals and pens from UNLV to pass out to students at the schools she visited.

"I was amazed. The technology in the schools is so much more advanced than I expected," Miller said. "There have been so many changes since the last time I was here. At the time, everything looked like it was out of the old Soviet nation -- it was amazing to see how much better the schools are."