BELMONT — Kindergartners at Cipriani Elementary School took time out from the playground and, as a group, began counting in Mandarin.

The foreign-language demonstration impressed visiting Chinese principals Lillian Meng and Caroline Zheng.

"They are very happy to speak Mandarin," Meng said of the young students, who just started learning the Chinese dialect last month. "They are confident."

"They pronounce very excellently," Zheng said.

The pair's visit Thursday was part of the California-Shanghai Principal Exchange Program sponsored by the California School Boards Association.

In the program, school administrators from Shanghai tour campuses across the state for several weeks to deepen their understanding of the American public educational system, from its philosophy to curriculum.

For several days, Meng and Zheng visited classes and shadowed their American counterparts in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District, with plans to move on to the San Mateo-Foster City School District.

"They are interested in our classroom curriculum, staff development and how we train and mentor teachers," said Cherie Ho, special-assignment principal for Belmont-Redwood Shores. "It's really nice when you have an exchange like this, because you learn from each other."

Specialists, generalists

The Chinese and American educational systems are very different, Ho said. School districts in

"We would love to have our own specialists for every subject area," Ho said, "but we can't afford it."

The Chinese system features elementary teachers who instruct only in their specific subject, she added. In contrast, many American teachers are generalists who teach various subjects.

Ho also learned that the Chinese system strongly focuses on professional development.

"They have opportunities to plan together and focus on something in-depth," she said.

The Chinese principals, in turn, thought they were taking a lot from their visit.

"It has been wonderful for us," Meng said.

In one literature class, she saw students reading and sharing ideas.

"This is very effective," she said. "This practice can improve their speaking, writing and leadership."

'Goal is the same'

The schools in Belmont-Redwood Shores "are run very well," Zheng said. She saw teachers who enjoy their profession and "do a lot of things for the children."

Although the systems of both countries differ, she said Chinese and American teachers "all love their jobs and try to find ways to better education — the goal is the same."

Fourth-grader Imraz Ali, 9, enjoyed the visit from the Chinese principals.

One of them "helped me look for something in the dictionary," the boy said. "It was 'fritter.'"‰"

Neil Gonzales covers education. Reach him at 650-348-4338.