Education Consulting
Boutique is an education consultancy that specializes in editing and enhancing the admissions application essay, as well as other education services. Founded by Juli Min, Harvard and Andover alumna.
My op-ed about the benefits of a fixed classroom structure, as seen in many public schools in East Asia. My conclusion on the second page includes a proposal for a new hybrid classroom structure.
Read the original at the South China Morning Post here.
My lecture tour through China has concluded, and it was a great experience. I had a backstage glimpse into what it's like working with one of the largest education consulting companies in China, and I had the privilege to speak to and meet many families along the way. Everyone patiently listened to my thoughts on the subject of the value of a humanities education, and I hope that I was able to bring some new ideas and information to the table.
I don't usually post photos, but I'll make an exception this once and post a few favorites from the tour. I went through Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Wuhan, Beijing, and Shanghai. Nanjing was unfortunately cancelled do to other promotional activities. Not only were the lectures themselves great fun, but also traveling with a great team was a blast.
From top left, clockwise: Shenzhen team, train ride, Guangzhou lecture, Hangzhou lecture
I had a great support team with me along the way, including a translator (whose name, aptly, was Echo!). I'm looking forward to working more with this behemoth of a company on some special critical thinking courses, currently in the works.
Listening to my translator from one side of the room, and trying to catch some Chinese words I know
This winter things have been a little slow on the blog because I've been getting married in New York and away traveling on my honeymoon. :) Huge life changes, and I'm really excited for this next stage of my personal life.
I've returned to Shanghai now, and in addition to preparing for a Chinese wedding in early April with my new Chinese in-laws and extended family, I'm happy to announce that I'm starting some work in the education consulting sphere on this side of the Pacific.
I've partnered with one of the largest education consulting companies in Asia to prepare a speaking tour through eight cities next month, after the wedding. I'll be going from Beijing to Guangzhou lecturing on the value of a humanities education. If you're in China mid to late April, and you're interested in hearing my talk, please send me a message and I'll give you more information. I'll also post more details as the dates approach.
What I'm looking forward to most is the opportunity to get out on the ground, so to speak, and meet and talk with students and parents from many of China's biggest and diverse cities. It's a great chance to learn about the questions, concerns, and issues Chinese families are facing today when thinking about education both abroad and at home.
See you out there!
I spent some time in Beijing, China's capital city, this month. Mostly sightseeing, but also meeting some friends, eating a lot of great food, and doing some work on my book.
Throughout the trip, people would often ask where we were from, and we'd say, of course, Shanghai. Often a topic of conversation would be the differences between people from the north and the south. Apparently, people from the north are more open, simple people, who love to engage with community in an honest and collegial way, enjoying a good drink now and again. Southerners are more socially discerning, paying careful attention to detail and maintaining tact and sensibility in relationships. At least this is what we were told by northerners. :)
These conversations got me thinking about stereotypes, and specifically, location-based stereotypes. It is possible to dig deeper and ask why different regions - with their separate histories, challenges, and terrain - create different people. Shanghai's mercantile history and port city location have shaped the people in the city. Beijing's political history and location bordering northern powers have shaped BJers as well.
There are many ways in which we are shaped by where we live. Personalities are as much a product of huge communities like our country, our generation, and our cities. On a smaller level, we live in a neighborhood, with certain people, speaking a certain lingo with a select group of friends. We are also born with traits and personalities that are shaped by our environments, at times the two coming into conflict.
If you want to write about where you come from, or a community you are a part of, one way into that question can be to think about the stereotypes and expectations you or others have about the place or the group. How am I an American, what does that mean, and how am I different than the norm, or the stereotype? Why? How am I a typical younger sister, and how does my relationship differ from the norm? Pry open the layers of your identity, and take a good look at how they follow the norm, as well as diverge.
Whenever I post a prompt-type post, I'll tag it "prompt." See more in the Search section of this website or click on the tag below.
After a dramatic month of transition from New York to China, I am happy to announce that I have arrived safely and soundly in Shanghai. This past month has been a huge change for me, and I'll list the main events briefly here. Please bear with my update post. More on education (in China and otherwise) coming your way soon.
* My New York life is packed up and I have moved to Shanghai, China. This is for personal and professional reasons, and I will be here for at least a handful of months.
* I have signed with a great literary agent in NY to work on the book I've been writing, which is a coming of age memoir about, in short, Korean culture, KPop, education, and family.
* Currently I am studying Chinese intensively.
* The work I do related to education consulting will proceed, as I work both remotely and in-person with clients. I have been meeting with education professionals in China and will continue to learn more about the education culture in this city and country before deciding what my next career step will look like.
* I've spent the past couple of weeks writing and traveling in Yunnan province, a great break after the crazy logistics of packing and moving away.
Now back to the regularly scheduled program. :)
