It is currently my last week of teaching at Jiangxi Blue Sky University here in Nanchang; however, that doesn't really put it into perspective until you realize that tomorrow is my last day. I have come a far way from where I started at last fall, and I am thankful for that. I have to admit, though, that I feel I could make a lot more improvement as a teacher had I another year to make progress. It is hard to picture myself not being here with my students teaching and working on preparing better lessons, assessments, and rubrics.
Unique Opportunities Afforded Teaching English in China:
The opportunity afforded me here in China has been unique for several reasons I believe: First, I have been allowed to experience the ups and downs of teaching in an environment that forced me to deal with my successes and failures. Second, I was allowed to experiment in making and developing lesson plans that constantly challenged me to incorporate different learning styles as well as adjust to my students' needs. Third, I feel that I learned a great deal more about developing assessemnts and rubrics considering my knowledge was rather limited considering I have only taken 1 heavy duty education course before coming. Fourth, I have now taught in an environment in which addressing my students needs was difficult due to language and cultural barriers, but was stretched and learned alternative solutions in soliciting feedback and learning what worked better for them (when I could).
Finals Week: Expecting the Unexpected in China
Our finals week was both planned and unplanned this semester. It was planned in the sense that we had a syllabus and new tentatively when our school planned to hold finals for their students. The part that we forgot about - again - was that we live and work in China and "tentative" really doesn't mean anything. So as we progressed through May most of us anticipated being finished with classes and finals at the beginning of June, but that was not to be...Sitting together in Joelle's room about 2 weeks ago during our HOPE (a time that we spend the whole morning lifting up thoughts and reading the Word) our FAO Billy called and told us to begin giving finals the following week. Honestly, I was rather frustrated and had some choice thoughts in my head which I wanted to communicate with the administration at my school. That, and tell them how completely shortsighted their planning was...
I am glad to say that I never expressed those thoughts, except with my friends and fellow teacher here. Yet, it was a huge blow for many of us since we had built in time with which to say goodbye to our students and make some kind of transition. If you teach overseas, however, I am sure you will learn time and time again that flexibility is the key. Being able to roll-with-the-punches is paramount to being able to live and make difficult transistions as well as overcoming the barrage of challenges to everyday living that now have language and cultural meanings embedded into them that you can't even begin to understand. Nonetheless, we had a job to do regardless of how valid we perceived our grievances to be, and there are just some battles you aren't going to win - this was one of them.
So last week we overhauled our lesson plans and made adjustments to our finals that would fairly guage and acccess our students' progress. Or at least I thought so in the planning stage... I don't know about those of you that teach, but there is a seemingly large gap between theory and practice once application begins in the classroom. How does one account for all the vairous factors that affect implimentation? I have noticed lately that I constantly want to kick myself for not modeling my expectations better, especially when I see it reproduced by my students. I don't know about you, but I had a scary thought: "What does that mean for people parenting kids?" (I don't want to know right now...) At any rate, the point here is that it becomes only all to clear for a teacher in my position to see where bad modeling and poor directions are reflected in informal and formal assessments.
Showing posts with label Teaching English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teaching English. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
What Would Mr. Aaron Do?
So the other day I was talking to my student Echo who is one of my brighter and more diligent students, and actually seems interested in learning English (that actually doesn't happen too much). Anyways, she came up to me and asked me if I remembered helping her prepare for a presentation on the labor market and I said I did. From there, she went on to tell me that after she finished her presentation for Mr. Ern (who is one of the Filipino teachers here at Blue Sky) the other day he asked her what she would think if China lost the capability to fund their economy and stores and hospitals started closing down because of lack of funds, and everyone lost their job.
She told me frankly that she was shocked and didn't know what to say. So she thought "What would Mr. Aaron do or say?" So she said told me that she remembered how I say "So sad" (I admit that this is nearly Chinglish, but it makes my students laugh so I am okay with it), and decided that is what I would say in that situation. So she told Mr. Ern "It must be so sad...." I have no clue what Mr. Ern said, but if I was there I would have been laughing outloud. I half wonder if she said, "I think this is what Mr. Aaron would say."
So there you have it. I have successfully indoctrinated the students to mentally ask themselves, "What would Mr. Aaron do?" My job is done here...
She told me frankly that she was shocked and didn't know what to say. So she thought "What would Mr. Aaron do or say?" So she said told me that she remembered how I say "So sad" (I admit that this is nearly Chinglish, but it makes my students laugh so I am okay with it), and decided that is what I would say in that situation. So she told Mr. Ern "It must be so sad...." I have no clue what Mr. Ern said, but if I was there I would have been laughing outloud. I half wonder if she said, "I think this is what Mr. Aaron would say."
So there you have it. I have successfully indoctrinated the students to mentally ask themselves, "What would Mr. Aaron do?" My job is done here...
Friday, April 10, 2009
Teaching in Nanchang
So I was looking through my photos over the last month it would seem that I have a good assortment of random pictures of us just going through our everyday routines. And when I say routines, it would seem that for me that doesn't include pictures of me teaching, but rather hanging-out in the office, riding the bus, or posing for a random short in front of the building we teach in... At any rate, I hope you enjoy!
(Outside the J3 building we teach in)
(Sitting in the school bus on a ride home - I look really old)
(Group shot by Jodi - you can her blog out at 10 Months)
(Outside the J3 building we teach in)
(Sitting in the school bus on a ride home - I look really old)
(Group shot by Jodi - you can her blog out at 10 Months)
(Shannon & I: So sometimes I'm gangsta)
Lost in Translation: Where Did March Go?
Well, I feel like it has been such a long time since I have be able to sit down and write what has been going on in my life. This last month might have been one of the most intense months of my life since coming to China - to say the least. I feel like so much that could have been said or shared about this last month - in some ways - has been lost, and unfortunately might be something that I will never be able to truly articulate. Nonetheless, I would still like to pretend like I can fill you in on the ups and downs of living in the 'Chang.
______________________________________________________________
Big Decisions:
This last month felt like one of the longest months of my life. To start off with, March 15th was the date by which we had to make a decision as to whether or not we would stay with our organization. Honestly, I had thought that this decision would have come in a timely manner and with much more certainty as to what I should do. I was a silly person. January passed by, February went by with a flash, and all of a sudden it was March. I had thought that thinking about it and/or worrying about the decision would have only made things worse, but I failed to take into account that not engaging the subject at all might leave me with the inability to ask the appropriate questions and truly access my situation.
With a week left to go I began calling friends and trying to think the decision over; however, pulling a classic 'Aaron move' I decided to make a head strong decision without thinking through all the questions I might need to truly take into account for jumping with both feet in. Perhaps, it is due to my somewhat serious nature and willingness to jump into situations that I don't entirely know everything about. I guess it is good to be reminded that we all can use some accountability, and perhaps I need it more than I would like to admit at times.
At any rate, I have made the decision to go home after I finish up the school year here at Blue Sky University. I feel it is the right decision as of right now, but I cannot lie that I am torn for my love of teaching and living in China. I face a world of uncertainties in returning home that I don't have to always face here. I have been blessed to be given a reprieve from the challenges and traps that we all face when dealing with American culture. Yet, I know I have grown and been challenged in ways that I will not truly know the extent of until I return home, and interact with all of you I know. Plus, I know that our Father will challenge and continue to grow me back home.
______________________________________________________________
Spiritual Challenges: The 'Haze'
My second challenge - but greatest challenge - was finding myself again and focusing back in on what the Father might have me hear about what was going on in my life. I feel like halfway through the month of March I realized that I was out-of-touch with things, and everything just felt a little off. It's like when you keep on hearing yourself say things to questions about your 'Walk' with the Father, but neither hear from yourself any improvement and/or concern. After a couple weeks of this, '"red flags" started to go off for me - even I was a little encumbered and slow to react. It seems that my 'Walk' has been something of an all out fight, which I apparently wasn't fighting for. It's embarrassing to admit, but it's the truth.
I feel like I was taken without a clue having not had the spiritual armor and/or protection that we all talk about having and vigilantly guarding. Interestingly enough, I should mention that at this point I had begun memorizing Ephesians 6:10-18. Go figure, huh? Even now - just writing this out - I am realizing how much making forward progress is something that I have been fighting for, and not taking this knowledge seriously has seriously inhibited my ability to make progress with victory.
While coming out of the 'Haze' has been slow, I have been refocusing slowly but surely on His strength. I have realized how desperately I need to hear and read the Word everyday that I might be able to function effectively. I am hoping that this realization will continue to manifest itself in my life that I can see its fruits not only here and now, but when I come home.
______________________________________________________________
Teaching English: The Ups and Downs
So at the beginning of this semester I gave my students two oral projects: (1) Culture Project; (2) English Project. My hope in giving my students these two projects was multifaceted. First off, having students - especially Chinese students - do homework (I have found) is semi-unproductive and ineffective, especially when your main goal is to improve their oral English. Of course, one has to take into account that I teach at a private university, which is like the equivalent to teaching at a community college with equal or less motivation of some American students. Second, students simply don't turn it in and/or listen to instructions no matter how many different ways you explain it. Plus, there is the factor of time that it involves, but let us not go there. Thirdly, and a much more practical reason, I found that having students write and/or do homework was not accomplishing my real objective of them speaking in English.
So I made it easier on myself. I cut my student's homework assignments by over half - lessening their overall impact on my students grades - and gave them oral projects instead. The Culture Project requires my students to prepare cultural presentations (on Chinese culture) in pairs and present at the beginning of class every week. This effectively allowed students to have more speaking time and practice listening to their peers. Unfortunately, I didn't take into account - enough - the need for accountability and interaction from the audience in listening to a presentation by doing simple things such as: taking effective notes, asking questions, etc... On the other hand, when I wrote my rubric and grading structure, my hope was simply for them to get up and speak. So I guess I am kind of in a win - lose situation.
The English Project is slightly different. I gave my students this project due to their complaints that they couldn't find any "foreigners" to talk to. Perhaps, being slightly generous and seeing the benefits of spending more time and getting know my students better I offered myself to be their guinea pig. I told them that they had - between February and May - to do several random activities which required them to practice their English, including spending time with me. Thus, lately, I have become under the barrage of students asking me: "Mr. Aaron, do you have free time? I want to make an appointment with you?" So pretty much now, when I am not teaching or doing team activities, I am spending time with my students. It is both a blessing and a challenge for me since I am not entirely the person who is recharged by being around people all the time. Plus, the longer they hold out and wait till the last minute the more chaotic my schedule will become. Even meeting with them 4-5 at a time really doesn't seem to make a dent when there are somewhere around 180 of them and only 1 of me. So if you think about it 'lift me up' because I am definitely running a race here.
Recruiting Students
On a side note. My university is known for sending their students home to recruit other students half-way through the semester. It is really the most peculiar thing that I have ever heard of a university doing. However, there is an incentive for students to go since the university will give them money if they manage to get a student to come to our school. The disturbing part - I find - is that the headmasters earn just as much or more if they are able to encourage students to leave and return home to recruit students. For the teachers here, it is something that we really can't make sense of.
As of now, it looks like well over half of my students will start leaving beginning the last week of April and continue till May 1st, which is a national holiday for them. The figures I have been able to collect - in asking my students to let me know if they are leaving or not - shows me that out of a total 180+ students around 130 of them might be returning home with an unknown return date. My BE3+4 class might actually be leaving in full force too. So I might possible drop from 4 classes to 3 in May if these statistics hold true. My other classes which always hover near 50 students each will drop drastically, having only 20 students or less in each class.
______________________________________________________________
Big Decisions:
This last month felt like one of the longest months of my life. To start off with, March 15th was the date by which we had to make a decision as to whether or not we would stay with our organization. Honestly, I had thought that this decision would have come in a timely manner and with much more certainty as to what I should do. I was a silly person. January passed by, February went by with a flash, and all of a sudden it was March. I had thought that thinking about it and/or worrying about the decision would have only made things worse, but I failed to take into account that not engaging the subject at all might leave me with the inability to ask the appropriate questions and truly access my situation.
With a week left to go I began calling friends and trying to think the decision over; however, pulling a classic 'Aaron move' I decided to make a head strong decision without thinking through all the questions I might need to truly take into account for jumping with both feet in. Perhaps, it is due to my somewhat serious nature and willingness to jump into situations that I don't entirely know everything about. I guess it is good to be reminded that we all can use some accountability, and perhaps I need it more than I would like to admit at times.
At any rate, I have made the decision to go home after I finish up the school year here at Blue Sky University. I feel it is the right decision as of right now, but I cannot lie that I am torn for my love of teaching and living in China. I face a world of uncertainties in returning home that I don't have to always face here. I have been blessed to be given a reprieve from the challenges and traps that we all face when dealing with American culture. Yet, I know I have grown and been challenged in ways that I will not truly know the extent of until I return home, and interact with all of you I know. Plus, I know that our Father will challenge and continue to grow me back home.
______________________________________________________________
Spiritual Challenges: The 'Haze'
My second challenge - but greatest challenge - was finding myself again and focusing back in on what the Father might have me hear about what was going on in my life. I feel like halfway through the month of March I realized that I was out-of-touch with things, and everything just felt a little off. It's like when you keep on hearing yourself say things to questions about your 'Walk' with the Father, but neither hear from yourself any improvement and/or concern. After a couple weeks of this, '"red flags" started to go off for me - even I was a little encumbered and slow to react. It seems that my 'Walk' has been something of an all out fight, which I apparently wasn't fighting for. It's embarrassing to admit, but it's the truth.
I feel like I was taken without a clue having not had the spiritual armor and/or protection that we all talk about having and vigilantly guarding. Interestingly enough, I should mention that at this point I had begun memorizing Ephesians 6:10-18. Go figure, huh? Even now - just writing this out - I am realizing how much making forward progress is something that I have been fighting for, and not taking this knowledge seriously has seriously inhibited my ability to make progress with victory.
While coming out of the 'Haze' has been slow, I have been refocusing slowly but surely on His strength. I have realized how desperately I need to hear and read the Word everyday that I might be able to function effectively. I am hoping that this realization will continue to manifest itself in my life that I can see its fruits not only here and now, but when I come home.
______________________________________________________________
Teaching English: The Ups and Downs
So at the beginning of this semester I gave my students two oral projects: (1) Culture Project; (2) English Project. My hope in giving my students these two projects was multifaceted. First off, having students - especially Chinese students - do homework (I have found) is semi-unproductive and ineffective, especially when your main goal is to improve their oral English. Of course, one has to take into account that I teach at a private university, which is like the equivalent to teaching at a community college with equal or less motivation of some American students. Second, students simply don't turn it in and/or listen to instructions no matter how many different ways you explain it. Plus, there is the factor of time that it involves, but let us not go there. Thirdly, and a much more practical reason, I found that having students write and/or do homework was not accomplishing my real objective of them speaking in English.
So I made it easier on myself. I cut my student's homework assignments by over half - lessening their overall impact on my students grades - and gave them oral projects instead. The Culture Project requires my students to prepare cultural presentations (on Chinese culture) in pairs and present at the beginning of class every week. This effectively allowed students to have more speaking time and practice listening to their peers. Unfortunately, I didn't take into account - enough - the need for accountability and interaction from the audience in listening to a presentation by doing simple things such as: taking effective notes, asking questions, etc... On the other hand, when I wrote my rubric and grading structure, my hope was simply for them to get up and speak. So I guess I am kind of in a win - lose situation.
The English Project is slightly different. I gave my students this project due to their complaints that they couldn't find any "foreigners" to talk to. Perhaps, being slightly generous and seeing the benefits of spending more time and getting know my students better I offered myself to be their guinea pig. I told them that they had - between February and May - to do several random activities which required them to practice their English, including spending time with me. Thus, lately, I have become under the barrage of students asking me: "Mr. Aaron, do you have free time? I want to make an appointment with you?" So pretty much now, when I am not teaching or doing team activities, I am spending time with my students. It is both a blessing and a challenge for me since I am not entirely the person who is recharged by being around people all the time. Plus, the longer they hold out and wait till the last minute the more chaotic my schedule will become. Even meeting with them 4-5 at a time really doesn't seem to make a dent when there are somewhere around 180 of them and only 1 of me. So if you think about it 'lift me up' because I am definitely running a race here.
Recruiting Students
On a side note. My university is known for sending their students home to recruit other students half-way through the semester. It is really the most peculiar thing that I have ever heard of a university doing. However, there is an incentive for students to go since the university will give them money if they manage to get a student to come to our school. The disturbing part - I find - is that the headmasters earn just as much or more if they are able to encourage students to leave and return home to recruit students. For the teachers here, it is something that we really can't make sense of.
As of now, it looks like well over half of my students will start leaving beginning the last week of April and continue till May 1st, which is a national holiday for them. The figures I have been able to collect - in asking my students to let me know if they are leaving or not - shows me that out of a total 180+ students around 130 of them might be returning home with an unknown return date. My BE3+4 class might actually be leaving in full force too. So I might possible drop from 4 classes to 3 in May if these statistics hold true. My other classes which always hover near 50 students each will drop drastically, having only 20 students or less in each class.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
2 Truths About Teaching
In teaching over the last 5-6 months I have been reminded of how true the following is:
1. It is a blessing to teach: In teaching YOU are reminded that you ARE also THE STUDENT. Most days you walk away having learned so much more from teaching and your students that you half wonder who is really teaching who.
2. It is a privilege to teach: In teaching you realize that you have been given a position of authority (whatever the level) to be considered the expert on a subject. The thought of course is absurd, but there it is! For me, the fact that 200 people are willing to sit down and listen is to me is AMAZING. Nevertheless, I cannot escape the fact that teaching is at once both a tremendous blessing as well as a tremendous responsibility. I have not only been given responsibility of being an expert on a subject, but in some ways I have also been given responsibility for the shaping of young hearts and minds.
1. It is a blessing to teach: In teaching YOU are reminded that you ARE also THE STUDENT. Most days you walk away having learned so much more from teaching and your students that you half wonder who is really teaching who.
2. It is a privilege to teach: In teaching you realize that you have been given a position of authority (whatever the level) to be considered the expert on a subject. The thought of course is absurd, but there it is! For me, the fact that 200 people are willing to sit down and listen is to me is AMAZING. Nevertheless, I cannot escape the fact that teaching is at once both a tremendous blessing as well as a tremendous responsibility. I have not only been given responsibility of being an expert on a subject, but in some ways I have also been given responsibility for the shaping of young hearts and minds.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Challenges: Unforeseen Problems
Yesterday was my first day of teaching after having not taught for over a month. It is kind of weird to step back into a role that you are quite familiar with, but also one you are consistently amazed that you are allowed to be - a teacher.
For me - I have to admit - there are some really high points and some really low points. One day, the class is highly interactive and the lesson plan is seemingly meeting all the objectives that you had set out to accomplish for the day. Yet, on the very next day, it seems that nothing is working and the students could absolutely care less. Then, on yet another day, you seemingly make endless mistakes both in spelling and giving information so that you feel very stupid by the time class finishes. I guess I had one of those kinds of days...
Today, I walked out of the class wondering "What were my expectations today?".
I have a student that will remain unnamed that - whether knowingly or unknowingly - knows how to consistently push all the wrong buttons with me. (We call them "extra grace required" students.) At any rate, I felt like I let that person get to me today and it was frustrating because I hadn't prepared or factored them into my teaching plan today, and it blindsided me. Worse off, it negatively impacted how the rest of my class went; something I don't want to repeat.
Well, enough of the gray dreary mood! I should share with you the 5 top things that my students did during the Spring Festival (I guess the closest equivalent would be Christmas...) I attached a link, albeit it is Wikipedia, if you want to learn more about Spring Festival.
1. Sleep
2. Watch Tv
3. Eat
4. Shopping
As you can see, my students are a lively bunch indeed! I told them that they should add sleeping as #5 so they can repeat the process. I was successful in managing to get them to laugh at that. I should note though that many of students do not have as many opportunities afforded them as I do, and going home is probably the best gift they could receive during the Spring Festival holiday.
For me - I have to admit - there are some really high points and some really low points. One day, the class is highly interactive and the lesson plan is seemingly meeting all the objectives that you had set out to accomplish for the day. Yet, on the very next day, it seems that nothing is working and the students could absolutely care less. Then, on yet another day, you seemingly make endless mistakes both in spelling and giving information so that you feel very stupid by the time class finishes. I guess I had one of those kinds of days...
Today, I walked out of the class wondering "What were my expectations today?".
I have a student that will remain unnamed that - whether knowingly or unknowingly - knows how to consistently push all the wrong buttons with me. (We call them "extra grace required" students.) At any rate, I felt like I let that person get to me today and it was frustrating because I hadn't prepared or factored them into my teaching plan today, and it blindsided me. Worse off, it negatively impacted how the rest of my class went; something I don't want to repeat.
Well, enough of the gray dreary mood! I should share with you the 5 top things that my students did during the Spring Festival (I guess the closest equivalent would be Christmas...) I attached a link, albeit it is Wikipedia, if you want to learn more about Spring Festival.
1. Sleep
2. Watch Tv
3. Eat
4. Shopping
As you can see, my students are a lively bunch indeed! I told them that they should add sleeping as #5 so they can repeat the process. I was successful in managing to get them to laugh at that. I should note though that many of students do not have as many opportunities afforded them as I do, and going home is probably the best gift they could receive during the Spring Festival holiday.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Teaching English
My students are all great and bring a lot of joy to me. It is funny to think that I have already taught "Business English" for about 3 months or so now. I would admit to you that teaching is not necessarily my gift, but something that I am learning how to do as well as adapting to. It challenges me more than most things, and I feel it is something that would keep my attention longer than most jobs.
Teaching English: Who would have thought?!?
Teaching English at a university in China isn't really something I pictured myself doing after college. Plus, it just doesn't look anything you or I would really have pictured if somebody had asked us to come and teach English to university students in China. Sometimes I think to myself "How did I get here?" and who really trusts me to teach some 200+ students English. Mrs. Bjur - my English teacher in high school - would be shaking her head if she knew I was in charge of instructing others about English. Monday to Friday I walk into class and there are 40-50 students who say, "Good Morning Mr. Aaron." My BE1+2 class is the most enthusiastic of them all - 54 girls and all. Not a single boy exists in that class. If he did I would know when he was late or didn't show up everyday.
(BE1+2 in full force)
During this last semester every week was the same old saga for me: Behind and wishing I had more time. I have to admit that I have a slight bit of perfectionist in me and I can drag out some of the most mundane tasks that many of you would balk at me for doing. In addition, I have this obsession with organizing everything that comes into my possession and everything has to be in its place or I just freak out. It's kind of sad. At any rate, the learning curve for teaching is humongous and I have to say that it is going to be awhile before this guy really understands everything that is going on in the classroom. Creativity is not something that i was gifted for and to be honest there are many aspects of teaching that I just don't see unless someone else points it out.
Going to watch my teammates teach can be intimidating and scary. I fear that if I go watch them teach I will find out just how bad of a teacher that I am. Then there is my competitive edge that tries to tell me that it is just better not to know and learn things on my own and overcome all the unknown obstacles that I am facing. The truth though is that I need to watch others so that I can be a better teacher and learn from their strengths and weaknesses. I am hoping to go watch more of my fellow teachers next semester as well as some of the Chinese teachers so that I might learn from them.
Grading is definitely a challenge and I can advise you to pay attention to the importance of assigning homework only when needed and making sure that it really measures what you think it does. I spent the better part of the last month grading some 800 papers that I decided to collect as a way to give my students some accountability and responsibility in studying English. You can't just have your students think that they can come to class, do nothing, never study, and pass your class. However, I am a big push-over and need to make idle threats to keep order.
(Juicy...yes that her name)
My classes are kind of intense and thrive on lots of energy. Sometimes it appear to the outsider that my class in near complete chaos, but that it just the way I like things. However, I have two classes that are a little low on energy and seem to zap mine in trying to get them motivated and excited. I tend to approach everything in life with lots of energy and when it isn't reciprocated I tend to lose heart and be drained of my own energy. I tease my students daily telling them that they don't smile enough and look like they are dead when they are in my class. I tend to use myself as most of the examples and my willingness to make a mockery of myself usually is enough to gain my student's attention, but when that doesn't work I am left to guessing. I must admit that I have given my students lectures and chided them for not paying attention and/or not doing what I have asked them to do. Overall, keeping student's attention and control over a class is a delicate thing.
Chinglish: This stuff is great! I am not even lying.
So in grading my homework and/or tests I begin to notice that my student's attempts to translate their ideas from Chinese to English were running into some slight problems. For the most part, the grammatical structure of Chinese in comparison to that of English is rather different and cultural differences - especially common sayings - do not help. Thus, we have what many like to call Chinglish. So in some of my spare time I started recording many of my students sentences and thought that I might share them with you. Below is a list of the top 10 that I have collected.
1. I’m hot in this field. (a student explaining why he should be hired)Blue Sky University
Christmas Cards:
During one of the last weeks of school I taught my students about Christmas and traditions that we carry out every year when celebrating Christmas. So I decided to teach my students about making Christmas cards after seeing the amazing results of my friend Jodi with her class. I didn't have much in the way of making Christmas cards, but I was well supplied with index cards and color markers so I thought I would take a shot at it. Making Christmas cards might have been the highlight of my teaching career thus far (I am not sure if that is a good thing though).
I showed my students how to fold the index cards (3x5 cards) in half so that the lines were inside and encouraged them to decorate the outsides of the cards with whatever they wanted. I told them that it would probably be a good idea to say something like "Merry Christmas", "Happy Holidays", and "Best Wishes" and reinforced that idea by writing those common sayings we greet each other with during the holiday season on the chalkboard. I also told them that I had friends back in America that might see these cards and that they should try and write message and/or questions to them. Apparently my instructions were lost in the excitement and out of some 200+ Christmas cards only 25 questions were written. Furthermore, once my students saw colored markers all was lost and near chaos broke-out.
I realized later that most of a Chinese student's education in his/her early years is as intensive as what we might do during college and that most students had never had the opportunity, let alone time to color. As Americans, many of us would just think drawing and coloring are a natural part of growing up, but as a quickly figured in my classroom it isn't. At any rate, here are some of students cards.
Teaching English: Who would have thought?!?
Teaching English at a university in China isn't really something I pictured myself doing after college. Plus, it just doesn't look anything you or I would really have pictured if somebody had asked us to come and teach English to university students in China. Sometimes I think to myself "How did I get here?" and who really trusts me to teach some 200+ students English. Mrs. Bjur - my English teacher in high school - would be shaking her head if she knew I was in charge of instructing others about English. Monday to Friday I walk into class and there are 40-50 students who say, "Good Morning Mr. Aaron." My BE1+2 class is the most enthusiastic of them all - 54 girls and all. Not a single boy exists in that class. If he did I would know when he was late or didn't show up everyday.
(BE1+2 in full force)
During this last semester every week was the same old saga for me: Behind and wishing I had more time. I have to admit that I have a slight bit of perfectionist in me and I can drag out some of the most mundane tasks that many of you would balk at me for doing. In addition, I have this obsession with organizing everything that comes into my possession and everything has to be in its place or I just freak out. It's kind of sad. At any rate, the learning curve for teaching is humongous and I have to say that it is going to be awhile before this guy really understands everything that is going on in the classroom. Creativity is not something that i was gifted for and to be honest there are many aspects of teaching that I just don't see unless someone else points it out.
Going to watch my teammates teach can be intimidating and scary. I fear that if I go watch them teach I will find out just how bad of a teacher that I am. Then there is my competitive edge that tries to tell me that it is just better not to know and learn things on my own and overcome all the unknown obstacles that I am facing. The truth though is that I need to watch others so that I can be a better teacher and learn from their strengths and weaknesses. I am hoping to go watch more of my fellow teachers next semester as well as some of the Chinese teachers so that I might learn from them.
(Left to Right: Pauline, Becky, Jody, and Danielle)
Grading is definitely a challenge and I can advise you to pay attention to the importance of assigning homework only when needed and making sure that it really measures what you think it does. I spent the better part of the last month grading some 800 papers that I decided to collect as a way to give my students some accountability and responsibility in studying English. You can't just have your students think that they can come to class, do nothing, never study, and pass your class. However, I am a big push-over and need to make idle threats to keep order.
(Juicy...yes that her name)
Chinglish: This stuff is great! I am not even lying.
So in grading my homework and/or tests I begin to notice that my student's attempts to translate their ideas from Chinese to English were running into some slight problems. For the most part, the grammatical structure of Chinese in comparison to that of English is rather different and cultural differences - especially common sayings - do not help. Thus, we have what many like to call Chinglish. So in some of my spare time I started recording many of my students sentences and thought that I might share them with you. Below is a list of the top 10 that I have collected.
1. I’m hot in this field. (a student explaining why he should be hired)
Christmas Cards:
During one of the last weeks of school I taught my students about Christmas and traditions that we carry out every year when celebrating Christmas. So I decided to teach my students about making Christmas cards after seeing the amazing results of my friend Jodi with her class. I didn't have much in the way of making Christmas cards, but I was well supplied with index cards and color markers so I thought I would take a shot at it. Making Christmas cards might have been the highlight of my teaching career thus far (I am not sure if that is a good thing though).
I showed my students how to fold the index cards (3x5 cards) in half so that the lines were inside and encouraged them to decorate the outsides of the cards with whatever they wanted. I told them that it would probably be a good idea to say something like "Merry Christmas", "Happy Holidays", and "Best Wishes" and reinforced that idea by writing those common sayings we greet each other with during the holiday season on the chalkboard. I also told them that I had friends back in America that might see these cards and that they should try and write message and/or questions to them. Apparently my instructions were lost in the excitement and out of some 200+ Christmas cards only 25 questions were written. Furthermore, once my students saw colored markers all was lost and near chaos broke-out.
I realized later that most of a Chinese student's education in his/her early years is as intensive as what we might do during college and that most students had never had the opportunity, let alone time to color. As Americans, many of us would just think drawing and coloring are a natural part of growing up, but as a quickly figured in my classroom it isn't. At any rate, here are some of students cards.
(by Jill)
(by Amy & Joana)
(by Amy & Joana)
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