Curriculum Vitae

SUSAN TU

Education

• Michigan State University - East Lansing, MI: Master of Arts, Foreign Language Teaching May 2019
• Lansing Community College - Lansing, MI: Associate of Arts, Child Development, March 2012
• Taipei National University of the Arts - Taipei, Taiwan: Bachelor of Arts, Chinese Dance Teaching, June 1993

Professional Summary

• Talent 25 years teaching experience in the dance and Chinese language by implementing the variety of art.
• Innovative Director and Producer bringing the vision of Chinese culture in Chinese dance and cultural art.
• Builds high-performing cultural opportunities between Western and Eastern with a global eye for promoting the uniqueness of Chinese language and culture.

Certifications

• 2017: American Council on The Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) Chinese Language Certificate
• 2016: Certified High Scope Advantage Training
• 2013: Ingham School District, Intentional Teaching Using Anecdotal Records

Languages

• Native speaker in Mandarin Chinese

Work History

• International School of The Peninsula - Palo Alto, CA: Chinese Pre-Kindergarten Teacher, Chinese Immersion IB PYP, 11/2018 to current
  • Commit to ISTP’s mission and the population served.
  • Work with a team of colleagues in a working environment with different cultures.
  • Teaching through inquiry according to the IB PYP framework, while also ensuring foundational skill acquisition, and collaborating extensively with English, French, and Chinese teachers.
  • Combine academic rigor with student engagement with inquiry-based teaching and learning.
• Post Oak Chinese Immersion School - Lansing, MI: Associate Teacher, 01/2008 to 06/2018
  • 35 hours/ week, for Pre-Kindergarten Chinese Immersion Program | Volunteer After-School Dance Program Director Assisted lead teacher in the preschool classroom in preparing teaching materials, ensuring a smooth transition between activities and orderly classroom management.
  • Created a healthy and joyful learning environment for 32 students annually (taught over 300 to date), increasing students language skill in a stress-free space and over 85% continued onto Chinese immersion program in kindergarten.
  • Provided positive guidance for individual students who need extra assistant with learning.
  • Led after-school dance programs for schools from Pre-K to 5th grade by teaching and choreographing traditional Chinese dances (e.g. Lion dance and fan dance...), performed at various Lansing events (e.g. Lansing School District's "Magnet Fair" and "Diversity Day") for 3 years; many events involved over 200 audiences.
  • Monitored students' educational progress with individual charts and files.
  • Fostered reasoning and problem solving through active exploration games and activities.
  • Sanitized toys and play equipment each day to maintain safety and cleanliness.
  • Identified signs of emotional and developmental problems in children and reported to parents.
  • Allowed for ample outdoor discovery time each day.
  • Gave one-on-one attention to children while maintaining overall focus on the entire group.
  • Coordinated parent-teacher conferences 4 times during the school year.
  • Conducted in-home visits to maintain student and family relationships and student performance standards.
  • Established daily routines that were easy for the children to follow.
  • Used classroom observations to create written assessments of student performance.
  • Supervised students and enforced discipline during all Head Start activities.
  • Nurtured a supportive learning environment that often used as a model for other classrooms.
  • Organized and facilitated monthly parent support group meetings.
  • Successfully improved student participation in the classroom through integration of creative role-playing exercises.
  • Served on School Affiliation Board and revised the institute's policies and rules.
  • Implemented reading and writing workshops to increase student literacy and support school reading programs.
  • Introduced special outreach programs to department chair an effort to increase institution's interest in community service.
  • Worked with interdisciplinary team members to evaluate children's progress and recommend appropriate learning plans.
  • Addressed behavioral and learning issues with parents and daycare management.
• Michigan State University - East Lansing, MI: Chinese language Instructor, 01/2013 to Current
  • 2 hours/ week, Taught children from age 3-12 in Chinese immersion classroom, developing students'
  • communication competence by utilizing everyday objects as teaching materials, fostering an authentic, educational language curriculum.
  • Created videos for students to practice at home with parents and provided weekly, individualized feedback on students' progress to parents, allowing students to improve the communicative skills based on age appropriate of learning.
  • Taught one-week summer camp to children from ages 6-12 using Mandarin Chinese only, developing students' interests in Chinese language and culture (e.g. Chinese opera) by using various activities and authentic materials, over 100% of students were able to write their name and basic daily commands in Chinese within one week.
  • Initiated two key partnerships, which resulted in 54% revenue growth. Most of the students keep enrolling in the regular language class after camp.
  • Responsible for creative design for prominent summer camp.
  • Achieved high language enrollment by increasing students' interested in language acquisition.
  • Cultivated positive relationships with participants by interacting with them during group fitness classes.
  • Greeted all members in a professional and friendly manner.
  • Assessed individual progress and suggested appropriate changes.
  • Explained class objectives and rules.
• Michigan State University - East Lansing, MI: Choreographer, 01/2016 to 05/2016
  • 4 hours/ week Dance Choreographer and Stage Manager, Wharton Center Disney Musical in Schools Lion King Program.
  • Choreographed all 5 dances in Lion King musical program for 65 students and assisted Wharton Center artists' to review students' vocal songs and movements, over 500 audiences attended performances.
  • Communicated with costumes and props designers and arranged all costumes and props on stage, providing the ultimate experience for both the students and audience.
  • Directed and provided instructions for all dance performances, stage lights and music setting during the musical, ensuring smooth transitions between acts.
• 7C Lingo - Lansing, MI: Chinese Interpreter, 01/2015 to Current
  • Provide Chinese vocal record for the New York Medicaid Program.
  • Translate Domino's TV advertisement from English to Chinese.
• Lansing Chinese School - East Lansing, MI: Chinese Cultural Teacher, 01/2006 to 01/2007
  • 1 hour/ week, Taught 15 teenage students Chinese yo-yo using Mandarin Chinese.
  • Choreographed many performances, combining both dance and Chinese Yo-Yo, and performed at various events such as the Lansing Chinese School New Year's Celebration and Michigan State University's Global Festival
• Overseas Community Affairs Council - Managua, Nicaragua: Overseas Chinese Culture Teacher, 08/2014 to 09/2014
  • OVERSEAS COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COUNCIL, REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) 20 hours/ week
  • 2014: Choreographed 4 dance programs to the Ceremony of the Central American and Panamanian Six Nations.
  • Directed 80 students from 5 to 20 years old students in Nicaragua.
• Overseas Community Affairs Council, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Chinese Cultural Teacher, 09/2006 to 10/2006
  • Choreographed four dances including a lion dance, fan dance, ribbon dance, and Chinese Yo-Yo dance, aiming to promote Chinese culture.
  • Interpreted the programs and provided the opportunity for the entire school’s teachers and students to understand the Chinese culture.
• Overseas Community Affairs Council: Researcher of Great Lakes Folk Festival at Michigan State University Museum, 05/2005 to 08/2005
  • 7 hours/ week Observer/Researcher, Michigan State University Great Lakes Folk Festival.
  • Received grants to participate, observe, record, and assist all festival activities to develop an international vision.
  • Presented findings in two workshops to encourage advance of Taiwanese festivals.
• Cloud Gate Dance Theatre - Taipei, Taiwan: Senior Creative Dance Teacher, 01/1999 to 01/2005
  • 14 hours/ week, Composed several creative dance lessons for students ages from 4 to 12 and presented them to parents, to help students better explore their body flexibility.
  • Taught summer camp for preschool through creative dances collaborating parents with their children, improving relationship between child and parents.
• United News Kindergarten – Taipei, Taiwan: Dance Teacher, 01/2001 to 01/2005
  • 2 hours/ week, my dance programs were honored three times for the consecutive three years as the best kindergarten programs.
  • Promoted Chinese culture to students through Chinese martial arts.
• Taipei Public Elementary Schools – Taipei, Taiwan: Hakka Language Teacher, 01/2002 to 01/2004
  • 14 hours/ week, combined music, song, play and dance as tools to teach language classes.
  • Introduced Romanization Pin-Yin to students and focused on the communicative skills to teach the Hakka language.
• Diabolo Dance Theater – Taipei, Taiwan: Dance Teacher and Director of Dance School, 01/1993 to 01/1999
  • 42 hours/ week, my choreographed program has been honored as the superiority in Taipei dance contest.
  • Under my coordination, the Chinese Yo-Yo programs have honored five times in national level performance. Led groups of 30 students to perform in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, increasing awareness of Chinese culture aboard.

Skills

• Collaborative
• Leadership
• Fluent in Chinese and English
• Fluent dialect in Hakka and Hokkien
• Field production
• Self-starter
• Project management
• Strong visual sense
• Works well under pressure
• Flexible schedule
• Fast learner
• Deadline-driven
• Skilled multi-tasker
• Digital video production process
• Microsoft Office, Smart Board, Zoom, Blackboard