Today was my first actually gross gray air day in Zhuzhou (I'd seen a little in Changsha, but I got a notification on my cell phone that started at 200, went up to 280, then went up again to 300, and went up again a few minutes ago). I can navigate without a mask but the slight smokiness to the air makes me think I'll be healthier wearing one. It's a little weird, part of me gets excited about breathing in cool fog because that's what it looks like from my window and part of me is startled by how hard it is to see. I went inside the shopping center across the street and because the doors were open it was kind of hazy in there too. I guess I'm feeling a little better now since I have kept in mind that both the field director and assistant field director said that I'm doing a lot of things right and worked hard to create comprehensive classroom rules and clear step-by-step lessons. I just need to be better at enforcing and keeping my behavioral expectations high. They were a little better this past week, but I think it's because their head teachers have been sitting in to see how the students behave, how tough I am to understand, and I think one teacher gave them a pretty serious talk before I came to class. They were really quiet and well-behaved, it was great but kind of strange after having to tell them to stop fighting, all the crying, and other things that normally go down in that one particular class. They got noisy towards the end with the game we were playing but they earned an A+ for working with me so well and let out a huge cheer when I wrote it on the board for them to see. I was really happy to see them get there and to see them feel so much better after class was out. I need to create more penalty cards and just start handing them out so that I'm not guilty of just empty words. Seriously. I ask for the minimum in behavior and I give points for correct answers but I won't take them away for being wrong. I take points for laughing at your classmate and throwing stuff around. That's when I have a problem with you. Kids, if you love my class so much make it easier on the rest of your class by being nice to them and showing a little respect to everyone.
At least now that we've gone over ways they can tell me they don't understand what I'm saying and I've used pictures as well as physically modeling "NO THROWING" I have noticed a drop in throwing incidents. Almost immediately. The pressure to be better at managing my classes is on but I'd like to think I'm on my way to getting that quieter classroom.
At least now that we've gone over ways they can tell me they don't understand what I'm saying and I've used pictures as well as physically modeling "NO THROWING" I have noticed a drop in throwing incidents. Almost immediately. The pressure to be better at managing my classes is on but I'd like to think I'm on my way to getting that quieter classroom.
Oh. And I got the finishing touches on my increasingly secure apartment. A second door and a neat little doorbell that lets me see who's at the door. Yes, it is a little strange for me to be in an apartment where half my windows have bars on them and now my door does too, but if it's for my safety I'll take it.
And I went back online to see about foreigners in China using online banking. I should be able to open an online banking account with my passport since I was able to open a bank account with nothing more than my passport so something was lost in translation or the branch near me is unsure about how the process of opening online banking for a foreigner works so they don't want to risk anything by trying. I need to go back with my liaison and see if I can push a little harder. It would be convenient for me to be able to order things online. I was finally able to pay for an air filter and some replacement filters because the company's website uses paypal. China has a kind of paypal site called ZhiFuBao as well but again, I need to go to the bank and ask for online banking to use it. But ugh, that air filter will be coming just in time if today is any indication of what winter will be like.
And I went back online to see about foreigners in China using online banking. I should be able to open an online banking account with my passport since I was able to open a bank account with nothing more than my passport so something was lost in translation or the branch near me is unsure about how the process of opening online banking for a foreigner works so they don't want to risk anything by trying. I need to go back with my liaison and see if I can push a little harder. It would be convenient for me to be able to order things online. I was finally able to pay for an air filter and some replacement filters because the company's website uses paypal. China has a kind of paypal site called ZhiFuBao as well but again, I need to go to the bank and ask for online banking to use it. But ugh, that air filter will be coming just in time if today is any indication of what winter will be like.
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