For most Tyrone graduates, going “ far away” for college typically means choosing a school that is more than a three or four-hour drive away from home.

For Penn State student teacher “Jack” Fang (pronounced Fong), going “far away” for school meant moving over 7,300 miles from his childhood home in Shanghai, China to attend high school and college in the United States.

Fang spent his childhood in Shanghai, China where he grew up an only child. Fang’s father works for a state-owned company and his mother is a school teacher. Fang said his parents are very supportive and encouraged him to go to the United States for high school and college.

“My family is really proud of me and I miss them a lot,” said Fang.

Fang moved to Tennessee at age 15 to attend a private high school that was built on a former battleground of the Civil War. While there, he lived with an American host family who treated him very well.

After finishing high school in Tennessee, Fang decided to stay in the United States for college, enrolling at Penn State University, where he is currently a senior majoring in economics and secondary education.

This spring he is doing his student teaching at Tyrone Area High School under the supervision of economics and world geography teacher Cummins McNitt.

Fang said he enjoyed teaching his students about how life in China compares to life in the states.

Learning firsthand about Chinese culture and education has been a unique opportunity for Fang’s students and he has left a good impression on them so far.

“Mr. Fang has gotten off to a good start. First and foremost, he’s a good guy who cares for his students,” said McNitt.

It doesn’t hurt that Fang is very friendly and shows an interest in all of his students. He greets students at the door every day, always with a smile and a good sense of humor.

“Mr. Fang finds ways to make learning fun,” said senior Will Price, “He can always put a smile on all of his student’s faces.”

Fang connects one-on-one with the students to ensure that they understand the lesson and that their work is done correctly.

Many of his students appreciate learning about Chinese culture and education from a first-person perspective.

“He is a very open-minded person and it’s very interesting learning about his culture and how it’s different from ours,” said senior Eliza Vance.

Fang says the educational system in China is much different than it is in the United States. According to Fang, the pressure for students to perform academically in high school is much higher in China than here in the United States.

“Studying can be a harsh and exhausting task for many students. There is much more pressure on our students on grades which have led to multiple suicides and other serious psychological issues among high school kids in China,” said Fang.

The reason, according to Fang, is that so much depends on students making it to university, especially if they grow up in a poor family.

“In China, most students take a college entrance exam in order to get to a university. It could be a life-changing event for many students that come from low-income families, so high schools serve more as a college-prep school that aims to prepare their students for their exam,” said Fang.

According to Fang, the questions he gets most from his students are about the differences between life in China and in the United States.

The biggest difference he sees is in the overall mindset and focus of people in society.

“Many Chinese people value the collective and families more. I have seen the spirit of independence and ambitions among my friends in the US. I think it is our different history and social environment that has led to the cultural differences between the two countries,” said Fang

He also added that despite recent political tension between the two nations, he hopes that the two world superpowers can work together in the future and get along for the good of the world.

“I think the two [countries] should strengthen cooperation in the future, seek common ground while reserving our differences, and bring a more stable and peaceful environment for the international community,” said Fang.

Outside of teaching, Fang has many hobbies, including cooking, listening to music, traveling, video games, watching documentaries, and, surprisingly for someone living in central Pennsylvania, scuba diving.

“Although it has been quite difficult to do in Pennsylvania, I am really into scuba diving. I have had a strong connection with the ocean since I was young. Occasionally, I even dream about the ocean and diving,” said Fang.

Fang said that he has enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the people and culture of central Pennsylvania.

“I have learned a lot about the city of Tyrone and its history. I also learned quite a bit about Pennsylvania’s history and culture. I got a deeper understanding of public schools and how things are operated in the US public education system,” said Fang.

Upon the completion of his last semester, Fang said he would like to further his education in economics and geography at a grad school in Canada. He also wants to gain some work experience along the way.

Fang said that after graduation he would like to either work in a Canadian school as a history teacher or international student coordinator. If that plan does not work out, he might move back to Shanghai to pursue something similar, helping students go to high school and college abroad, as he did.

Fang said he has enjoyed his time in Tyrone and will always remember his experience here.

“When I leave Tyrone, the main things I will miss are the advice from my great mentor, Mr. McNitt, and the lively group of wonderful young people that I enjoy spending my time around every day,” said Fang.

Fang’s Tyrone students and his cooperating teacher, Mr, McNitt, will remember him for his hard work and enthusiasm.

“I enjoy listening to his perspectives on Economics. His emphasis is different from what I am accustomed but this makes the class that much more enjoyable. We will often talk about the differences, but the similarities as well,” said McNitt.

This story was originally published on Tyrone Eagle Eye News on March 17, 2023.