Ting Yuan
MODERN LANGUAGES
Trilingual teacher of Chinese and French who values fun in learning and teaching.
B.A. Beijing Language and Culture University; M.A. University of Pittsburgh. Appointed 2006.
On Harkness: "We help students become better communicators, whether in English or a foreign language. It's a very important skill that will be beneficial for their whole lives. At the Harkness table students learn to listen to different opinions, to speak appropriately, to view things from various perspectives and to learn from each other through interaction."
Why Exeter: "You teach both knowledge and goodness at Exeter, so you interact with students not just in the classroom, but in a lot of other locations, too," says Yuan, who lives in Bancroft Hall and is adviser to the Chinese Student Organization and the Asian Society. "I like how Exeter recognizes and encourages the diversity of its students, staff and faculty. The students are fortunate at this age to have exposure to people with such different backgrounds and interests."
Fun is part of learning: In her Chinese and French classes, Yuan integrates fun activities designed to enrich vocabulary comprehension and oral expression. "Students learn better when they relax and enjoy the class," she explains. "They like songs, games and role playing because they're interesting and helpful. If they can learn through fun, they may not notice they are actually learning."
Why she loves teaching: "I cannot think of doing anything else," says Yuan who taught at the university level before coming to Exeter. "Even in primary school, I always wanted to be a teacher. Teaching is an inspiring learning experience for me as well as the students. I always feel that I'm learning something new – about the subject, my students and my teaching. I enjoy the process of searching for better ways to teach, and the moment when my new ideas successfully make a good class happen."
Passions: Yuan discovered downhill skiing since moving to New England, and she's determined to do more. She also loves reading, listening to music and playing Ping Pong and Badminton.
Learn more about modern languages at Exeter..
