International Department

President Les Wong and Vice President Robert Nava of San Francisco State University visited YODER.

Initiated by Dr. Jerry Hsieh in 2012, Yoder’s International Department not only is responsible for the design and implementation of the school’s English curriculum but also accountable for matters related to international affairs. Since its establishment, the International Department has hosted school officials, scholars, exchange students, visiting teachers, university professors, industry experts, musicians, and politicians from different parts of the world, while hosting annual events such as Halloween, Christmas celebration, International Day event, International Earth Day and more. Additionally, the department has designed and implemented overseas winter and summer camps to numerous destinations around the world.

Dr. Hsieh hosted Chancellor Wilcox of the University of California – Riverside (UCR) in Taiwan.

In 2016, after years of preparation and with strong parent support, the department has successfully launched Yoder’s International Program (international classes) in its middle school division. The purpose of the program is to better prepare students for the upcoming academic challenges by providing the U.S. middle school curriculum while retaining the advantages of Taiwan’s education.

As of Spring 2018, Dr. Jerry Hsieh is appointed as the chief executive officer of the school in addition to the head of the International Department.

Education Background:

  • The University of Southern California – Los Angeles, CA
    • Doctor of Education – Educational Psychology
  • San Francisco State University – San Francisco, CA
    • Masters of Business Administration
  • Golden Gate University – San Francisco, CA
    • Masters of Science in Telecommunication Management
  • The University of Toledo – Toledo, OH
    • Major: Information Systems and Operation Management  (ISOM)
    • Minors: Marketing & International Business

Articles:

Members of the Department:

Administration Teacher

Ms. Flora Shen 

 Ext. 516
Office Assistant

Ms. Suzy Meng

 Ext. 517
English Theme Store

Ms. Judy Huang

  Ext. 107

Department Introduction

Teachers of Yoder’s International Department come from various countries such as Canada, Spain, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The English teachers are not only subject teachers but also homeroom teachers for Grade 1 to Grade 6 as well as our middle school language arts classes.

CURRICULUM

In the Elementary School Division, we offer students Language Arts and Creative Writing as well as Math and Science; all taught in English.

In the middle school division, students will study Language Arts. They can also choose one of the following clubs and elective courses in English: English for tourism, English movie critics, public speaking, chess, basketball, soccer, table tennis, and so on. In these courses, students can learn English in a more hands-on and fun way.

THEME-BASED LEARNINGS

  • English Only Zones – In order to promote the use of English, areas such as the English theme store and Yoder Library are dedicated as English only zones.
  • English Assembly – There is an English Assembly for Elementary School students every Friday. During this time, we sing the Yoder Anthem and hand out awards to our best students and classes.

EVENTS

Earth Month – During Earth Month our students do projects on caring for Mother Earth. Projects include topics such as recycling, reducing waste and growing your own vegetables.

Halloween – This is one of the highlights for students on our calendar! Students dress up and do many activities, including a visit to the haunted house in our basement.

International Day – On International Day we teach students more about some of the lesser-known countries in the world. Activities include video clips, handy crafts, food, and also some presentations from our Junior High students.

Thanksgiving – We celebrate Thanksgiving by doing some fun and educational activities. We also share a special meal on this day.

Christmas Event – It’s the most popular annual celebration of Yoder’s elementary division. Almost all students get the chance to perform on the stage. Each year, hundreds, if not over a thousand, of parents participate in the event. 

CONTESTS

English Speech Contest – Our annual Yoder English Contest is an important event where students from all grades compete in a storytelling, reading, and speech contest. We invite judges from our local high schools and universities.

Spelling Bee – Yoder’s Spelling Bee takes place during the month of June. Top students from each class are invited to compete in the invitational round of the competition. 

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