About ME -- Profession
I am Xiaorui Dou (窦潇瑞), my students call me Dou Laoshi (窦老师). I received my bachelor's degree in Teaching Chinese as a Second or Foreign Language (TCSOL). I was enrolled in Huawen College (华文学院), Huaqiao University, which is one of the top Chinese teaching colleges in China. During my college years, I built a foundation for my Chinese teaching career. During my junior year in college, I studied abroad at the University of North Texas in the U.S. and chose English (Literature) as my major for the year. I received my masters degree in Bilingual and Multicultural Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Neag Education School in University of Connecticut (UConn) in May 2019. My concentration is Chinese Dual Language Immersion programs. I was trained to in DLI education by my advisor, Elizabeth R. Howard, who is the national leader of Bilingual and DLI education research field.
My teaching profession in the U.S. started when I was a 4th Grade Teaching assistant in Dorothy C. Goodwin Elementary in Storrs, CT, which was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2015 by the U.S. Department of Education. After being TA for one year at Goodwin Elementary, I became a pre-K Chinese teacher in New York City. This school offers Chinese-English Bilingual programs for kids. Both Chinese and English teachers work closely together in one classroom with the same group of kids to develop their bilingual abilities. For the fall semester of 2018, I was a course instructor in UConn for undergraduate students learning elementary Chinese. For the last half of the year, I taught at HudsonWay Chinese Immersion School, which is a top tire private school in NYC. This school offers 100% Chinese immersion program for kids from K-5, which is not part the regular DLI models but I enjoyed this experience a lot!
So far, I have been a teacher for almost six years. I teach languages, because it combines two of my passions: teaching and languages. Most of my recent professional years have been devoted to teaching and studying the field of language education, because to me, practice cannot be seen apart from theory and vice-versa; they are strictly intertwined, and one constantly evolves from the other. This is fundamental in a world where everything is continually changing.
My teaching practice is constantly evolving. I am aware that there is no recipe for the perfect instruction delivery, but I am willing to try methods and techniques that research shows to have positive outcomes. I am always (re)thinking my disciplinary praxis so that all learners become part of an educational setting that prompts them to develop their literacy skills and critical language awareness. I always welcome to embrace the different cultures and backgrounds that my students will bring to my class, and I will be graceful for all the efforts my students put on learning Chinese!
Xiaorui Dou
8/10/2019
My teaching profession in the U.S. started when I was a 4th Grade Teaching assistant in Dorothy C. Goodwin Elementary in Storrs, CT, which was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2015 by the U.S. Department of Education. After being TA for one year at Goodwin Elementary, I became a pre-K Chinese teacher in New York City. This school offers Chinese-English Bilingual programs for kids. Both Chinese and English teachers work closely together in one classroom with the same group of kids to develop their bilingual abilities. For the fall semester of 2018, I was a course instructor in UConn for undergraduate students learning elementary Chinese. For the last half of the year, I taught at HudsonWay Chinese Immersion School, which is a top tire private school in NYC. This school offers 100% Chinese immersion program for kids from K-5, which is not part the regular DLI models but I enjoyed this experience a lot!
So far, I have been a teacher for almost six years. I teach languages, because it combines two of my passions: teaching and languages. Most of my recent professional years have been devoted to teaching and studying the field of language education, because to me, practice cannot be seen apart from theory and vice-versa; they are strictly intertwined, and one constantly evolves from the other. This is fundamental in a world where everything is continually changing.
My teaching practice is constantly evolving. I am aware that there is no recipe for the perfect instruction delivery, but I am willing to try methods and techniques that research shows to have positive outcomes. I am always (re)thinking my disciplinary praxis so that all learners become part of an educational setting that prompts them to develop their literacy skills and critical language awareness. I always welcome to embrace the different cultures and backgrounds that my students will bring to my class, and I will be graceful for all the efforts my students put on learning Chinese!
Xiaorui Dou
8/10/2019
about me -- Life
My family is in Zhengzhou, Henan, China. Even though we had the One-Child Policy in China before 2016, I have a younger brother! He has been my family's treasure since he was born! His name is Xiaoqian Dou and I love him a lot! Right now, he graduated from his high school in Zhengzhou, and he will go to Carleton University in Canada in 2021.
I moved to Utah from New York City last fall, and I LOVED Utah! I learned how to fishing, camping, hiking, climbing and all the fun outdoor entertainments here! People are nice to me here too! I really happy I took my job offer of Lone Peak Elementary and relocated to Utah!
I love traveling! I have traveled to a lot of places in the U.S. such as Washington DC, Philadelphia in Penn, New York in NY, Niagara Falls, Boston, Chicago, Orlando for Disney World, Huston, Dallas, San Antonio, San Francisco, Los Angelos for Universal Studio, and San Diego. I have also been to many places in China as well. If you plan to go China but have no idea where to go except Beijing and Shanghai, you can ask me! I can give you a list of beautiful places in China.
I also love volunteering. During my sophomore year in university, I was the representative of an AIDS orphanage in my hometown to help kids to go to schools. Also, I was a volunteer guide of a China-Africa culture exchange summer camp in Shaolin Temple to help African ambassadors experience authentic Chinese culture. I learned Chinese kung-fu during that summer. In addition, I love debating! I won the award of "Best Debater of 2015" in my university. I also love hosting shows; I have been a show emcee since high school.
My friends always describe me as a strong woman, but I think I just try to "Be the best at what I do." I love traveling so I travel a lot, I love debating so I practice a lot, I love volunteering so I am always there for people who need me. This is my attitude towards things in my life. If your kids are my students this semester, I will also try my best to build our class community and give them a high-quality study experience!
Xiaorui Dou
8/23/2020
I moved to Utah from New York City last fall, and I LOVED Utah! I learned how to fishing, camping, hiking, climbing and all the fun outdoor entertainments here! People are nice to me here too! I really happy I took my job offer of Lone Peak Elementary and relocated to Utah!
I love traveling! I have traveled to a lot of places in the U.S. such as Washington DC, Philadelphia in Penn, New York in NY, Niagara Falls, Boston, Chicago, Orlando for Disney World, Huston, Dallas, San Antonio, San Francisco, Los Angelos for Universal Studio, and San Diego. I have also been to many places in China as well. If you plan to go China but have no idea where to go except Beijing and Shanghai, you can ask me! I can give you a list of beautiful places in China.
I also love volunteering. During my sophomore year in university, I was the representative of an AIDS orphanage in my hometown to help kids to go to schools. Also, I was a volunteer guide of a China-Africa culture exchange summer camp in Shaolin Temple to help African ambassadors experience authentic Chinese culture. I learned Chinese kung-fu during that summer. In addition, I love debating! I won the award of "Best Debater of 2015" in my university. I also love hosting shows; I have been a show emcee since high school.
My friends always describe me as a strong woman, but I think I just try to "Be the best at what I do." I love traveling so I travel a lot, I love debating so I practice a lot, I love volunteering so I am always there for people who need me. This is my attitude towards things in my life. If your kids are my students this semester, I will also try my best to build our class community and give them a high-quality study experience!
Xiaorui Dou
8/23/2020