Michigan 2025
Teaching Traditional East Asia
Summer Foundational Seminar for K-12 Educators
Monday, July 28 — Friday, August 1, 2025
A free In Person at Michigan State University in East Lansing seminar for K-12 Educators
Presented by Michigan State University and the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia at the University of Pittsburgh
Offered to all K-12 Educators in our 11 State Region of Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia
APPLY NOW! This free, in-person seminar will introduce the histories and cultures of CHINA, JAPAN, and KOREA, helping you to better understand East Asia and discover innovative ways to introduce it to your students. Topics will include Buddhism and Confucianism, state formation and politics, arts and literature, and women’s status. Teachers of Geography, History, Social Studies, World Literature, International Relations, Media, Art, Asian Languages, or any other subject involving East Asia are encouraged to apply. Sessions will include hands-on activities and discussions of pedagogy, where to find resources, and more. Housing subsidies are available for teachers coming from outside of mid-Michigan.
Seminar Dates & Tentative Schedule
- Kick-off Orientation: June 16 (Mon), 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. EDT, in person if possible (MSU campus), dinner provided
- Full Week Seminar: July 28 (Mon) to Aug 1 (Fri), 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT, in person (MSU campus)
- Six-Hour Follow-up Session: Fall 2025, in person or Zoom, exact date TBD
Location: Michigan State University in East Lansing. Spend a week of your summer on our beautiful, green campus! We have funds to subsidize residence for teachers coming from more than 50 miles away (including out of state). Lunch provided most days.
Application Deadline: April 15, 2025 or until course fills
Benefits for Participants
Each participant who completes the course and course requirements will receive:
- $230 worth of teaching materials for your classroom, including the course textbook, additional educational materials, and a $100 mini-grant for purchase of approved materials for your classroom. (The purpose of the mini-grant is to get teaching materials into “brick and mortar” schools. Due to the increasing variety of our seminar participants, not all participants may be able to receive a mini-grant. Please consult with us about this early in the course.)
- $300 stipend at the completion of all requirements including attendance at the follow up classes.
- 30 SCECH hours (for Michigan teachers).
- Certificate of Completion (36 hours) K-12 educators will receive a Certificate of Completion for 36 hours of professional development after completing all requirements of the seminar.
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NCTA alumni are eligible to apply for NCTA GEEO study tours to East Asia and are also eligible for small grants such as the Marie Wanek Fund, travel subsidies for conferences, and other benefits that we offer from time to time; NCTA alumni are also often given priority preference in competitive applications for summer institutes, Fulbright-Hayes study tours to East Asia and other programs. Our office also writes letters of recommendations for alumni who apply to competitive study tours and summer institutes. All alumni will receive a weekly NCTA email newsletter with information about free professional development programs and teaching resources.
Seminar Requirements
- Expressed commitment to integrating East Asia into your curriculum.
- Attend and participate in all sessions (36 contact hours), including the follow up classes.
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In addition, to complete the seminar and receive the benefits, you must fulfill the following requirements: Attend and participate in all sessions (36 contact hours, with 30 hours in the fall/winter and 6 hours in the spring) Complete all assignments and requirements, including designing a lesson plan that incorporates East Asian material into your curriculum, writing a “reflection paper” and completing a mini-grant form for your teaching materials. (A full list of assignments will be posted on our website.)
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Each participant is expected to come to class prepared to participate in class discussions.
Application Deadline: April 15, 2025 or until course fills