Highlands adds Confucius Classrooms

Highlands School is adding a new program to its repertoire. The private school is partnering with Troy University to bring Confucius Classrooms to Birmingham.

Designed to support Chinese language and cultural education in local communities, Confucius Classrooms allow schools to improve their existing Mandarin Chinese program through additional funding.

Highlands has taught Mandarin Chines for five years, but Kathryn Barr, head of the Highlands School, is excited to expand the program.

“We believe that students need to learn how to communicate with and learn about other cultures,” Barr said. “We are excited to be a Confucius Classroom and plan to use it well, spreading the word about the importance of learning the Chinese language and culture.”

Jun Yang, vice headmaster of Qinhuangdao New Century High School in the Hebei Province, stressed the importance of the mission of the Confucius Classroom program.

“To better understand a country, you must begin with its language,” Yang said. “These students who will benefit from these programs will go far beyond learning the Chinese language.”

Although there are more than 30 Confucius Classroom partnerships worldwide, Highlands School and Montgomery’s LAMP School are the first Alabama schools to join the program.