Benton, Evans say China is on the move to become the world economic power

July 12, 2007

OLYMPIA…Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, and Ken Evans, principal of Yacolt Primary School, returned from a recent trip to China awed at the focus on math and science education and the country’s push to teach their language in schools worldwide. 

“The trip was awesome and frightening all at the same time,” Benton said. “It isn’t the China of bicycles and tin and wood shacks I saw just seven years ago. There are all new cars on the roads and new, modern high rise apartment and office buildings going up everywhere. I counted 87 cranes just from the airport to our hotel when we arrived in Beijing.” 

“There is a lot of money being spent to encourage the teaching of the Chinese language and culture in the United States,” Evans said. “Our state’s economic ties with China are very strong and knowing how to speak and write Chinese will open a lot of doors for our young people as they enter the job market.” 

Hanban, the executive body of the Chinese Language Council International, sponsored the trip. More than 1,000 educators from the United States participated. The 11 Washington legislators who participated were the first contingent of American lawmakers invited by Hanban. 

Both Benton and Evans lauded the Chinese schools for their focus on math and science. 

“In order to be competitive with China, schools in the United States need to put more emphasis on science and math and spend more money to hire top quality math and science teachers,” Evans said. “This needs to be done before there is a crisis and China becomes the world economic power.” 

“Back in 2003, long before we had the dismal first results on the math WASL, I proposed a bill that would give Washington’s beginning certified math and science teachers a $5,000 bonus over four years,” Benton said. “Beginning math and science teachers struggle to make ends meet, while at the same time, they are consistently enticed to teach in higher-paying states, or lured to other high-paying professions altogether.” 

Benton also noted China’s emphasis on discipline in the classroom and overall cultural commitment to teaching and learning. 

“There is tremendous discipline in the schools,” Benton said. “Their whole society places a high value on education, especially the learning of English. The teachers work long hours – 9-hour days during a 10-month school year – and are held directly accountable for the results of their students. Their 98 percent high school graduation rate says it all!”

The delegation was welcomed with a ceremony in the Great Hall of the People across from Tiananmen Square and viewed exhibits on Chinese teaching materials. 

Pictured from left to right during the welcoming reception at the Great Hall of the People are: Ken Evans, Zhou Ji, Minister of Education, People’s Republic of China, Sen. Don Benton, and Xu Lin, Director General of the Office of Chinese Language Council International.

“I could not have dreamed, during the spring of 1989 and the Tiananmen Square protests and military crackdown, that one day I would be having lunch in the Great Hall of the People,” Evans said. 

The trip included a visit to a primary school in Beijing, the opportunity to visit a primary or high school in Yunnan Province, Peking University, and the Great Wall of China.  They also attended two seminars on how to start a Chinese language program and a presentation on the history of the Chinese culture. 

Benton was a sponsor of a bill during the 2007 legislative session which would have created a two-year Spanish and Chinese language instruction pilot program in two Washington school districts at the elementary school level. The measure passed the Senate unanimously, but stalled in the House of Representatives. 

“I think we have to be realistic,” Benton said. “The next generation of American workers needs to be bilingual – and my impression of China is that it is awake and moving! If American children learn Chinese at a very young age, there is a high likelihood they won’t give it up. Parents are more involved with a young child’s learning and will learn words along with their children as a fun way of communicating.” 

“It makes a lot of sense for American primary age students to be taught the Chinese language and culture,” Evans said. “It is much easier to learn a new language when you are young, rather than waiting until high school.” 

Sen. Benton is serving his third four-year term in the Washington State Senate. He served one two-year term in the House of Representatives prior to being elected to the Senate. His company, The Benton Group, conducts sales, marketing, training and management consulting for television, radio and cable companies worldwide. 

Evans is the principal at Yacolt Primary School in the Battle Ground School District. He was appointed by Gov. Gary Locke to serve on the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) when it was created in 2000. He served until 2004. The PESB is primarily an advisory board to the Governor, Legislature, State Board of Education, and Superintendent of Public Instruction on the full range of policy issues related to certified education professionals, including teachers, principals, superintendents, and educational staff associates. 

Hanban covered a large portion of the expenses for the trip, Evans and Benton paid a portion. No tax dollars were used. 

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Additional contact: Penny Drost (360) 786-7522 or drost.penny@leg.wa.gov