California teacher sees value in Chinese education

SACRAMENTO, California — Eric Peterson, principal of West County Mandarin School in Pinole, California, has just returned from taking nearly 50 students and teachers on a cultural tour around Beijing, and he's already planning another for this summer.

"The Chinese students and families treated our students so well, and even now they're all communicating on WeChat with each other," Peterson says.

During their visit last month, the American students stayed with host families in Beijing, toured historical sites, and even sang American and Chinese pop songs alongside their Chinese peers — a moment Peterson called "really beautiful to see".