It's only week one and I'm really tired! On Wednesday, I had 3 classes that were all back to back. I had more time to get to my last one because the students had to do eye exercises for 5 minutes in addition to the ten minute break between classes. I have now introduced myself as Teacher Chicken 13 times over as my name sounds like ji1 (鸡) which means chicken. I intend to use this to my full advantage if it means that everyone pays attention in class. I have surprised my classes everytime I say I am from America. They don't seem to understand me the first time, because whenever I just let my students ask me questions about myself, they still ask and sound really surprised. I've also found that if I write California on the board, I don't necessarily get a big response. If I draw California on the board, my students start yelling "It's a boot!" If I say and write Disneyland, they look really confused or don't respond. If I draw a Mickey Mouse head, they totally know who that is and how to spell his name. I feel like I'm either too fast or too slow. I saved myself a lot of time the other day when I didn't offer English names, and no one said anything. All my other classes have told me when they do not have English names, but now I'm afraid that I just have a bag full of Chinese names with "no English name" written on them. I guess I'll just have to give them names myself. It's funny too, everytime I want them to fill out name cards with their Chinese, Pinyin, and English names, I give them an example using my own name in Chinese and English. This means that every class I either have students applauding me for my bad handwriting in Chinese or sounding my name out once they see it. Which is fine, they're curious, but I still need to make sure they understand and follow my directions. I'm afraid that not everyone understands what my yellow and red cards are for or how my rules all work so I have to make them even simpler. I need to review all these things with them again next week. Hearing students yell "Football!" when I raise my cards and ask them about the rules tells me I need to be more clear, but I also feel that I can push my students more than I've been told. They definitely know more than what is in the textbook if they can ask me how heavy I am.
The teachers here are very willing to help me with just about anything. I have been observed a lot of times and get a little more advice to think about everyday. Hopefully, it will really go well next week when I am back from my three day weekend for the Moon Festival and have my materials ready to go as well as a lesson plan related to what the students are learning that week. My school has taken very good care of me and I want to get better everyday so that I can return the favor by teaching my students to be more confident speakers. Sometimes I realize I've made things harder for myself than perhaps they should be, but I also know that once I say something I need to fulfill anything I say. The students are supposed to be going over greetings, introductions, and telephone numbers this next week. I'm trying to find a song or a video clip I can use in addition to teaching them to say more than "I'm fine, thanks. And you?" which is the standard answer you will receive if you ask students how they are.
I am not wholly comfortable taking photos at school, but I wish I could show you all what our school's opening ceremony is like. I've never seen anything like it at an American school. All the students and teachers came outside and assembled for announcements. They all had to face forward in lines and there was this large inflatable arch with dragons on top for the school year beginning in 2014. There was some singing too. Very different from my own experience of middle and high school.
Anyway, it's been tiring, but I don't feel it when I'm in the classroom for the most part. I just get in there and focus on the materials I need to cover and the information I need from them. I'm looking forward to going down the street and checking out this small area filled with calligraphy, brushes, carved gods, and jade jewelry. I found that they have a couple of places selling name chops in there and I really want one. If not for keeping track of my students participation and points, then at least for myself as a reminder of my time here. It would certainly be more unique than other things I might get here.
The teachers here are very willing to help me with just about anything. I have been observed a lot of times and get a little more advice to think about everyday. Hopefully, it will really go well next week when I am back from my three day weekend for the Moon Festival and have my materials ready to go as well as a lesson plan related to what the students are learning that week. My school has taken very good care of me and I want to get better everyday so that I can return the favor by teaching my students to be more confident speakers. Sometimes I realize I've made things harder for myself than perhaps they should be, but I also know that once I say something I need to fulfill anything I say. The students are supposed to be going over greetings, introductions, and telephone numbers this next week. I'm trying to find a song or a video clip I can use in addition to teaching them to say more than "I'm fine, thanks. And you?" which is the standard answer you will receive if you ask students how they are.
I am not wholly comfortable taking photos at school, but I wish I could show you all what our school's opening ceremony is like. I've never seen anything like it at an American school. All the students and teachers came outside and assembled for announcements. They all had to face forward in lines and there was this large inflatable arch with dragons on top for the school year beginning in 2014. There was some singing too. Very different from my own experience of middle and high school.
Anyway, it's been tiring, but I don't feel it when I'm in the classroom for the most part. I just get in there and focus on the materials I need to cover and the information I need from them. I'm looking forward to going down the street and checking out this small area filled with calligraphy, brushes, carved gods, and jade jewelry. I found that they have a couple of places selling name chops in there and I really want one. If not for keeping track of my students participation and points, then at least for myself as a reminder of my time here. It would certainly be more unique than other things I might get here.
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