Here are some snapshots around Gaoxin No. 1 High School
campus as well as Gaoxin No. 2 Primary School.
I have a nice 20
minute walk to the primary school where I am spending a couple weeks. I have been teaching some of the English
classes there and it has been a great experience. A few myths have been dispelled. Namely the notion that students here sit
quietly and at attention at all times.
Kids—no matter where they live on this planet—are kids. J To manage a classroom of 60 students takes
some sort of magic that I haven’t acquired yet.
And when class is over, to be mobbed by all these first graders who want
to stand right next to the teacher,
requires more than a bit of balance!!
Their greetings never lack in enthusiasm. And when they ask, “What is your nationality?” and I respond, “I am American,” the entire
class breaks into applause and cheers. They
are encouraged to answer all questions asked by the teacher in a very loud
voice. Chinese classrooms are not places
for soft spoken folks. I was comforted
to see a teacher wear a wireless microphone on Monday. She said most teachers have some voice
problems. I can understand why.
Gaoxin Primary students with Flat Stella and Pepe
*for more adventures with Pepe, check out Ben's blog: http://lasperspectivasdepepe.blogspot.com/
The teachers are involved in the morning exercise, and I got this snapshot of Ben on the track with the Biology teacher when I left the apartment yesterday morning.
After school basketball group @ Primary School.
High School girls between classes.
Ben and Kevin teaching English conversation.
Sixty first graders to one teacher? My hat is off to her! Did there seem to be the same discipline/disrespect problems that I would have in my classroom?
ReplyDeleteYes, I really admire them and that is my biggest challenge when I am team teaching is to give individual attention to each student. The room is never without some sort of background chatter and I would say classroom management is a bigger issue here than what I expected.
ReplyDelete