ABSTRACT
The swift change of its LOTE program from German to Chinese language education demonstrates the Garden Primary School's determination to be an Asian-literate, globalised school so that it can keep up with the complex social changes in Australia. As a member of this learning organisation, to assist in its transformation, Zhang uses di (地) metaphorically to examine how she and other stakeholders work collaboratively at different sites to bring China into Australian classrooms. It is impossible to teach everything about China to Australian students, I have to be selective, so as significant others, in employing concrete and abstract symbols and metaphors to make China real. Following water-like pedagogy, Zhang interprets her role as a gardener planting seeds of love about China in students’ hearts; teaching her knowing (知, zhī) of China; and engaging students in symbolic, multimodal learning of China. In the Australian context, China becomes a traditional, monocultural, Han Chinese entity that is mainly based on Northern, agricultural society. The ambiguity and dilemma are continually generated when Zhang has to decide what to bring in here and what to “other.” For instance, what is her priority in teaching when the date of the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the Chinese Communist Party's National Day?
