Wan Wang

Wan Wang is a Chinese VI teacher and a new addition to the world language department. Previously, she worked as a Chinese teacher at Pierce and Driscoll for 10 years. Wang likes to travel and cook, and is a big fan of “The Office”.

What classes do you teach here at the high school?
I teach level VI Chinese, so my students have already passed their AP class, but they want to continue advancing their studies. The students self-advocated to get this class for their senior year.

What made you interested in teaching language?
English is my second language. Growing up in China, when I started to learn it, I also learned the culture behind it often from movies, songs and celebrities. Moving into deeper discussions of politics and different societies amazed me from the vast differences between Western and Eastern cultures. I want to help my students build a bridge out into the world so they can know about somewhere they may never go, but are willing to go to someday. They can also use the language to help the local community, which has many native Chinese speakers.

What are some of your hobbies?
I have a dog, so I like to walk her, and I like to play sports with my kids. I volunteer to help coach their teams sometimes, but most of the time I just cheer for them. I run around with them at home in the backyard, and I like to travel. I like cooking and trying new places to eat, and I really like bubble tea!

Do you have a favorite place you have traveled to?
I went to California last summer, and I visited several different national parks there. The view is very different from here. People and cultures are definitely different from here, and you can definitely immerse yourself in another culture. So I had a good experience interacting with the local people, and of course, the local food was fantastic. I was wondering why I didn’t go there for college! The views are incredible. It just gives you a lot of choices: you can travel to the beach or big mountains, all in one state.

What’s your favorite thing to cook?
Not hard recipes! My students always ask to make fried rice, and we do a cooking competition in the class. And making dumplings—that’s like a social event in China and other East Asian countries; during the big holidays, the whole family comes to help make dumplings together. Someone is there to cook the dumplings, someone is there wrapping them and everyone is there eating them. It’s kind of like a rotating chain. It gets you talking and interacting with people, so it’s a fun family thing that people get to do together. For me, making dumplings is connected to good memories.

Is there anything about yourself you think the community should know?
I’m very fortunate to work here. I see the students coming into the classroom with curiosity, and they are passionate to learn new things. That is something I find very, very valuable. They are growing into such amazing language learners, and I get to be there, accompany them, lead them and witness this progress. It’s just making me very motivated to come to work every day!