In the past few years, due partly to its proximity to the Pacific coast, our school, Bellevue Christian, has been flooded with applications from Chinese students. That’s true of many west coast schools, especially those that are only a quick flight home. As the west coast schools fill up, many Chinese families are considering schools in the “flyover” states. Most Chinese families know Seattle, LA, Chicago, and New York but have no idea of the wonderful cities and towns in the heartland.
Why the Chinese Choose Christian Schools in the US
If you were to remove the equivalent of the US and Canadian populations (385 million) from China, nearly a billion people would still be left. Shanghai has several million more people than Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon combined. This size population necessitates large, and growing, middle and upper classes. As a result, the number of Chinese students seeking a North American education grows every year.
My wife and I spent three weeks in China last summer, presenting seminars for educational agencies, meeting families, and speaking at an all-China student leadership conference. We found a great hunger for North American education, and, interestingly, Christian education in particular. When we asked students who Jesus was, we were surprised to find they had no clue.
Though foreigners can’t legally proselytize, we could present a PowerPoint presentation explaining what a Christian school does. This was considered business, not missionary work. We briefly explained Catholicism and various Protestant denominations. We shared the core of the gospel, including Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus and highlights from the Sermon on the Mount. At the end of the presentation an agent said, “This is great. We’ve never heard this stuff before.”
Although many Chinese people can’t explain what a Christian is, they like the nurture Christian schools provide. One father told us, “We don’t really understand God, but we like Christian values and we want our children to learn those values and bring them back to China.”
While our main goal at Bellevue Christian School is to serve Christian families, we make an exception for Chinese students. Therefore, it is important that a Chinese family “meets Jesus” when they inquire about our school. That first contact may have eternal consequences. As an Ethiopian pastor once told me, “The Bible has sixty-six books and you are the sixty-seventh. That is the first one people read.”
Starting an International Program
During our six years of running a formal international program, we have learned a few things other schools may find helpful.
First, we have found that many Christian schools had trouble getting started with an international program. An educational agency can help. Some agencies are dishonest and simply dump students wherever they can. We were approached by one agent who wanted us to take twelve students without interviewing them or seeing test scores. Another agent ended up stealing thousands of dollars from a family. It is important to know with whom who you are dealing. Most agencies would like an exclusive contract with a school because this gives them stability in a competitive market and allows them to focus on your school’s needs. This can be very helpful if you choose the right agency. They will recruit students who fit your admission requirements, arrange for a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or another test, and set up the interview. They often sponsor trips to China for school officials to interview candidates in person.
We don’t have an exclusive agency arrangement because we already have so many applicants. Many of our students come over with their mothers and live with relatives who are already here. If you are interested in an agency, you can often ask for a trial period to see what it is like to work with that agency and its applicants.
Creating a Welcoming Environment
Even in this modern era, people can feel an ethnocentric condescension when approaching a school. It is not racism or bigotry, but rather, a natural awkwardness and cultural misunderstanding. To improve this, we have Chinese students translate our promotional documents so that families will feel welcomed, whether they come to our school in person or contact us through our website.
When a family chats with us via video, we often have a Chinese student answer. They talk for a while, and, when everyone is relaxed, the student turns it over to us. We conduct the interview and the student helps translate. One family was having trouble filling out the application, so a Chinese student talked to them on Skype. On a second computer, he pulled up the application and walked the student through it line by line. This kind of attention creates a sense of goodwill that carries over when the student arrives.
The Admission Process
A video chat is our first admission step. This isn’t an interview, but it is a chance to get to know one another. We discover the student’s level of English so that if they are not ready, we can tell them to continue studying. This saves them time and money in the application process. If the conversation goes well, we encourage them to apply. We try to have a Chinese student with us and to encourage the applicant family to chat in Chinese so that they can ask candidly about the student’s experience at our school.
A few applicants come to their interviews very nervous. Therefore, we often offer them a second chance. One girl was nearly in tears during her interview! She had excellent test scores, but she said, “I’ve never spoken to a foreigner before!” She did fine the second time, and she is now flourishing here.
Schools interested in hosting international students will probably need to provide English Language Learner (ELL) assistance. We have two levels in our ELL program, and students can test out of each level when they are ready. We also have grade-level English classes. I teach the same English curricula to small groups, focusing on reading, writing, and speaking skills. When students are ready, they test out and typically succeed in the other English classes. If your school has only a few international students, you may accomplish the same English language learning through tutoring.
To enroll students, the government must approve and issue the I-20 document. This certifies that the student will be enrolled in your school. The student then goes to the US Embassy in China for an interview. They receive an F-1 visa, which lets them live and study here. The Canadian government has a similar process.
Finding a good host family can make the experience a success. The ideal host is a Christian family who will include the student in church and social activities. The right host family can make all the difference in how quickly a student will improve their English skills and learn about North American culture.
Stefan Ulstein teaches English and ELL at Bellevue Christian High School and can be contacted via Skype (stefan.ulstein), Wechat (stefanulstein), email (sulstein@bellevuechristian.org), or phone (425-454-4028 ext. 118) for more information about how you can welcome international students into your school.