From June 24 to June 27, 2024, educators from diverse backgrounds and regions participated in the virtual East Asia Summer Institute for Middle School Teachers, hosted by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) in collaboration with the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA). Designed specifically for middle school teachers, this year’s institute provided an overview of East Asian geography, cultures, religions, history, literature, and arts, as well as an introduction to the Asian diaspora in the United States and the diversity of the Asian American experience.

The four-day institute featured daily synchronous sessions with lectures from distinguished guest speakers, curriculum demonstrations from SPICE staff, and small group discussions, all designed to deepen participants’ understanding of East Asia and the Asian American experience, equip them with valuable instructional materials, and foster a community of learners committed to integrating Asian and Asian American studies into their curricula. Throughout the institute, participants also completed pre-assigned readings, shared resources, and contributed to collaborative discussions.

The agenda for each day featured insightful presentations as well as hands-on activities. The first day focused on the Silk Road and featured a guest lecture from Dr. Clayton Dube of the University of Southern California and a curriculum demonstration on the Silk Road by SPICE’s Naomi Funahashi and Rylan Sekiguchi.

The second day focused on religions and philosophies of East Asia, with a presentation by Dr. Julia Cross from Stanford University, followed by a curriculum demonstration of the SPICE curriculum unit Religions and Philosophies in China: Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism by SPICE’s Jonas Edman.

On the third day, attendees delved into Japan during the feudal period, starting with a lecture on Tokugawa Japan by Dr. Ethan Segal of Michigan State University. Karen Tiegel, Middle School Division Head at The Nueva School, then led a curriculum demonstration on the SPICE curriculum unit, Japanese Art in the Edo Period, which was followed by a group discussion.

The final day, titled “Asian Voices and Asian American Experiences,” featured a panel of authors—SPICE’s Waka T. Brown, Van Hoang, and Takami Nieda—who shared their perspectives on Asian and Asian American narratives and identities. The day concluded with a SPICE resource-sharing session, covering curricular titles such as Angel Island, Chinese American Voices, and the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project.

At the end of the institute, each participant developed and shared an original lesson plan inspired by the knowledge and resources gained throughout the seminar.

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SPICE’s collaboration with the NCTA is one of several teacher professional development seminars that SPICE offers.