I’m Monica DeWald, and I teach High School Language Arts and Literacy 1 at Seattle World School in the Seattle Public School District. I am so happy to be selected for this year’s CE China trip!

The school where I teach is aimed at helping new immigrants and students who want to increase their English proficiency in a multicultural setting. Our school is home to students from many backgrounds, countries and language groups. Because there are a number of Chinese students at our school, I have been working hard to get more acquainted with their language and culture. This past year, I have taken Mandarin Chinese lessons and have participated in a number of meetups and community events to try and better understand my students and their transition to American culture and schooling.

I believe that this trip to China and Taiwan will help me get a better picture of my students’ lives before SWS and will help me to better serve the multicultural population at my school and in Seattle. Additionally, during this trip, I hope to practice my Chinese, try new foods, meet new people and learn new things about China’s great history and culture.

In my life outside school, I like to do yoga, dance, go for walks, and discover new places with my friends and family