Faculty Spotlight: Erica Folsom

College/ Degrees? I have a Bachelor of Accounting from South-Central University for Nationalities, China, and a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from the University of Maine at Augusta.

Years of service to FA? This is my 12th year teaching at FA. 

Subject(s) taught: Mandarin, Chinese culture and history. 

Other roles you have at FA: Grade advisor; since last year, I have been the supervisor of extracurricular cooking activities and the dorms after school. 

Fun fact: I showed a talent for calligraphy during elementary school. One of my teachers from back then wanted to cultivate this talent in me and asked me to meet her every day after school to practice. I resisted initially because I wanted to join my friends and observe them happily playing outside. All the while, I was stuck in the classroom, drawing the exact figures repeatedly until I got them right. Eventually, however, I came to enjoy calligraphy. I ended up practicing on my own and was rewarded for it. Now I can teach calligraphy to my students and I remain deeply grateful to that teacher to this day. 

I love traveling the world. I have been to many countries and have many more yet to visit. I enjoy learning about their various customs and cultural practices - especially regarding food culture.

I love fashion and aesthetics. My husband once remarked that he had never seen a woman with so many clothes, bags, and shoes. I believe a person's appearance reflects his/her attitude towards life. My art professor once said that through your appearance/clothing, students can learn to appreciate beauty. I continue to work on improving my knowledge and understanding in this area. 

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Background you want to share? I was born in a small city in Guangxi Province in southern China. In college, I studied accounting. When I graduated, all the students in my class were hired by banks. I started as a teller, worked my way up to branch manager, and then to senior auditor at the Bank of China regional headquarters, where I was responsible for auditing all the bank's business in Guangxi Province. In 2010, I immigrated to the United States, married my husband, and began working for FA. 
 

Why did you become a teacher? First of all, I love children. I think of every child as a budding flower to be nurtured so that they flourish. Teaching gives me joy, and the kids keep me young and at heart. Another reason is that, after I came to live in the United States, I found that many people had little general understanding of China, its people, and its culture. I felt that teaching would be an excellent way to build knowledge and experience and contribute to creating cross-cultural bridges.

 

What is your favorite class to teach and why? I love my Mandarin classes. Teaching Chinese language and culture is my passion. I feel like a gardener, sowing Mandarin seeds. I am thrilled when I see the plants growing well. I just received an email from a graduate, Isabel Mächt, who told me she would study in the Netherlands and continue to study Mandarin there. I am very proud of my students, and it is very satisfying to know that, as a teacher, I have enriched their lives by equipping them with tools to help them on their life journey. That, to me, is a success. :)

 

What are five adjectives to describe yourself as a teacher? Organized, effective, flexible, intelligent, and determined.

 

How do you motivate your students? I let students know the goals of each lesson. I often encourage them by recognizing their work and rewarding their performance. I try to create a fun environment where they can apply concepts so that learning feels meaningful—it's always great to hear students say, “Wow, that makes sense!" My students learn better and are more engaged during games and class activities. I also involve students' families. Students teach their families some Chinese phrases, Chinese cooking, and Chinese songs. I give them feedback.

 

Is there anything from your experience as a student that has influenced you as a teacher? I had been a class leader from elementary school to university, and I had good relationships with my teachers and classmates. I often had to lead classmates to read the texts in the morning and organize activities. I think that this helped to cultivate my ability to be a teacher. I also experienced the top-down approach to learning in China at the time and felt it was stifling concerning creativity and the exchange of ideas. As such, I have made a point of engaging with my students and getting to know them as individuals. This helps them, and they have helped make me a better teacher.

 

Advice for students? Attitude is the key to success, especially an attitude focused on particular academic goals. Respecting your own needs and adapting your learning strategies to your needs will be central to academic success. All the while, keep a positive attitude and be kind to others. While negativity wastes energy, kindness and positivity create energy and build camaraderie and lifelong relationships that will help you through any difficulties that life might throw at you in the years ahead.