Jiayang (Amanda) Xie

Amanda Xie is a Fairfax Christian School senior who is passionate about education, equity, and inclusion and actively promotes multicultural exchanges in China and the United States.

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Amanda is well-versed in music and theater, specializing in French horn. She serves as the principal of French horn in the school band and has represented the school in numerous performances in the metropolitan area. She actively promotes and participates in the development of the school's Drama Club, planning and organizing annual theatrical performances, enriching students' after-school lives, and promoting cultural diversity on campus.

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Amanda's dedication to promoting the Chinese language and culture is unwavering. As a teaching assistant at Yayan Mandarin, she imparts her knowledge of Pinyin, Chinese character writing, and daily conversation to students. She goes beyond the basics, incorporating cultural texts such as graphic novels to deepen students' reading comprehension and cultural awareness. Her interactive teaching methodology, which includes role-playing and scenario simulation, allows students to use Chinese in real-life situations, thereby enhancing their fluency. Her commitment to promoting Chinese culture extends to her volunteer work in Beijing, China, where she helps students deepen their interest in and understanding of Chinese through story reading and drama performances.

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As the founder of the Emotionally Tuned program, Amanda implemented Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in kindergarten classrooms to help children develop communication skills and emotional management. This program demonstrates her concern for equity in education and her commitment to promoting inclusive education.

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In the future, Amanda hopes to continue her education and merge her artistic and educational experiences to spread Chinese culture globally through Chinese language teaching and cultural promotion and to bring a richer and more exciting learning experience to Chinese language learners.