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For more information about Miranda Lin's work, review her profile.

Miranda Lin: Enriching students' global perspectives through her passion

By Lauren Huffman

"I’m always for global education. I really think that it will really enrich our students’ perspectives and their experiences." — Miranda Lin, assistant professor of Curriculum & Instruction in Illinois State University's College of Education

(February 18, 2010) In her second year as the Early Childhood Education Clinical Coordinator, Miranda Lin has an abundance of books and papers piled high on her desk, students popping in and out of her office, and a number of meetings to attend, all on top of teaching three courses and being a clinical coordinator for early childhood education majors. No doubt does she maintain a pretty demanding schedule; however, you would never be able to tell from her serene demeanor as we sit on the floor in her office. "It's customary in my culture," she informs me.

Dr. Lin hails from Taiwan, a place that she integrates in her work at Illinois State University today. Dr. Lin is currently working on establishing a study abroad program in Taiwan. A deal is in the works with at least two different universities. Dr. Lin is hoping to have the program fully established and available to education majors for the 2011 summer semester. The program will likely be three weeks and will offer curriculum specifically for education majors, similar to the London Experience. She hopes to eventually extend the program to include hosting Taiwanese exchange students here at Illinois State University, as well as to incorporate all other majors on campus.

"Eventually, we would like the whole University to participate to expand our networks. It's for our students' benefit, so I'm very positive that we will get it materialized, because we have the support of [the C&I] department."

"We will expand it to include research opportunities as well ... we might be able to work in the long run in research capacities, organizing international conferences — that's our goal."

Lin's passion for international education extends beyond her home country. She is also currently involved with a group of medical doctors in Chicago that sends volunteers to India to better young children's education and health. She first got wind of the situation in India from a friend.

"Many children in India cannot afford to go to school. The parents cannot afford to send the children to school, and the principal was telling me, 'If you can spare $300 a year, you can save the child's life.' I said sure, and I adopted a little boy."

That next day, Dr. Lin talked with her colleagues and raised money for the tuition of three other children. Lin believes that "every child should have the opportunity to go to school — to have that education and support."

Lin, who has traveled to India herself, became further involved in the Indian project when she learned that a group of volunteers with Teach for America would be traveling to help. The doctors who provided medical assistance with the families learned of the inadequate education and wanted to make a difference there. They enlisted the Teach for America teachers to help them with the education aspect. Dr. Lin currently works with the teachers, selecting the curriculum that they are instructing in the schools.

Dr. Lin's passion also lies in the foundation of education in the future of our country. She hopes that everyone recognizes the value of early childhood education.

"It is in these first years that children develop the foundations that they will build on for the rest of their lives."

Lin gains a great deal of satisfaction in her job, from working with her students closely as they begin their first classes, all the way through clinicals and student teaching. It also makes Lin truly glad to see the students she worked with become change agents in their communities when they become teachers.

"I always tell my students, 'You're going to be the one to open the door for your students. You might be the only one. And a lot of the time, the parents won't be there to open the door for their children; that first person to open the door for them may be you.'"

She encourages her students to understand that parents are not always able to help their kids thrive in school. Sometimes they are working two or three jobs, and they aren't able to provide the support. She emphasizes to her students that many times, they will be the first person to have a profound impact on that child's life.

"We encourage them, we support them, and we give them whatever is best for them," Lin says, about her students, and for their students as well.

Dr. Lin would like to see early childhood education valued more by society. It is the learning in preschool and kindergarten that provides a basis for education in perhaps the most crucial time. Further education is reliant on early childhood education to give children the necessary tools to develop learning skills.

"[Early childhood teachers] are the foundation. Our job is to ensure that children have a jump start and have a solid foundation. I believe all children can learn and have the right to learn. Unfortunately, we see a lot of resources are not allocated to early childhood education; we do not see all children have the access to quality early care and education. Instead, we see a lot of the resources are used to fix the problems that older children have instead."

Lin looks forward to most challenging part of her job, "to understand the culture of ISU, my students, and the region so I can become a better teacher." However, given her experience with different cultures, she should do just fine.