Chapter 7: People’s Republic of China: Teaching for a Sustainable Future: Crafting a Pedagogy for Sustainability Education

I came to the United States in July of 1995 to pursue my PhD in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in secondary social studies education from Florida International University. Since then, I have taught at three American universities in the capacity of assistant professor, associate professor, and full professor. During that time, I have had the privilege of teaching 19 different courses, mentoring hundreds of graduate research projects, and publishing in national and international peer-reviewed journals. As an immigrant woman faculty from China, I ask myself what impact did I have on students and colleagues at American universities? What experiences have helped me with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required to navigate the higher education landscape and its shifting policies and practices in the United States? These questions guide my inquiry into the impact of personal experiences, particularly the cultural resilience on the professional journey of an immigrant faculty practicing global pedagogy in the American South. I have discussed different aspects of my work, such as increasing intercultural experiential learning through communitybased inquiry and computer-mediated communication technology in other publications. In this chapter, I trace my experiences from my upbringing during the Mao Zedong era of China to my professional journey as a senior faculty member who has served with three major universities in the United States. Reflecting on my own trajectory and the totality of my experiences, I hope to shed light on much broader questions through a descriptive and interpretive analysis. Questions such as, “What curriculum and instructional strategies can help prospective and practicing teachers better prepare students for global sustainable development?” or “How can international and immigrant professors contribute to making colleges and universities institutions of diversity, inclusion, and global learning?”