Life and School

This week we had a special performance to attend that the 5th and 6th graders put together for the school and their parents. There were many dances, songs, and skits that were very well done, including songs from The Sound of Music. They had memorized all of their lines and dance moves, and even though most of it was in Chinese, it was very enjoyable to watch. They were decked out in costumes and stage make-up, even the boys had on bright pink lipstick and they didn’t seem to think anything of it!
Many of the higher level students are beginning to prepare for an English competition where they will be giving speeches and will be judged on their English. This week I have been able to work more one on one with these students and help them prepare. They will be asked a question about how they feel they have grown and changed during their life. The answer that struck me the most and brings so much insight into this culture was from my student “Rachel” as she talks about how she is becoming more responsible and independent and that she longs to one day give back to her parents what they parents have given her. Even at the age of 10, this is what many Chinese students looking into their future would count as success. It is expected that after University and getting a job, you will live with your parents, sometimes even if you are married, to take care of them as they have worked very hard for the opportunities that have come in your life. Family is greatly valued here and you see it even just in walking down the street, as grandparents are pushing their grandchild in a stroller, most likely because the parents are working to provide for both generations.
This is also a very collective society, which does not work well when I give out a test and my students think it is a “group test.” I have tried to emphasize and model “keep your eyes on your own paper” but some students still think it is ok to look around for answers. I have been consistent in taking points off for cheating and I am trying to use it to promote character in my class such as honesty and integrity.
I am realizing more and more that life and school here very much merge together. When the students spend more time at school than they do at home with their parents, their teachers and classmates become their family. I just love being able to give my students hugs throughout the week and their excitement always remains the same when they see me!
It is hard to believe but midterm exams will be going on next week, which means a whole other week of schedule changes that just keep this school year interesting and unpredictable!

Meat On a Stick and Divine Appointments

The highlight of school this week was getting to go on a field trip! We got to go to a park near the mountains on the outskirts of Beijing. It was a beautiful day to be outside and the kids had a blast. There were many team building and “field day” types of activities. They did everything from having to work together to get all of their classmates over a 10ft wall, to picking up ping pong balls with chopsticks and having to race across a field without losing it and drop it in a bucket. It was fun to cheer the students on and have a day to just spend time with them. The most interesting part of the day was lunch time. As we spread out for a picnic, all the kids got out their snacks- it was like Halloween, only Chinese style. In my opinion, dried packaged meat on a stick and seaweed are not exactly treats. The kids were running around trading their food with each other and putting all kinds of food up to my mouth to try. Needless to say, I was glad I packed a good old peanut butter and jelly! I think it was definitely a day of bonding for me and for the students.
Another highlight this week was getting to go observe some English classes at a local University in Beijing that some other ELIC teachers teach at. We are encouraged to do this to see how it is different and what it would be like, so since our Fridays are just office hours we got permission to go on this special trip! Renmin University is one of the best University’s in China and it felt so good to be back on a college campus…I’m still kind of mourning the fact that I am no longer a college student! The campus was beautiful and had everything you could ever need, including two grocery stores, a cell phone store, and many restaurants in addition to their dining halls. The students in the class we observed were preparing for their midterm assignment which is going to be giving a speech. I got to talk with a few students about their ideas and give them some feedback. I was so impressed with the depth of their speeches, maybe even more because I am really only use to being able to teach basic vocabulary to my ten year old students! One student’s speech title was “A Walk in Autumn.” She was using the metaphor of how the leaves in autumn change colors and then slowly wither away and die, to talking about our lives and humanity. This led to a really great discussion about the meaning of life and our purpose here on earth. I respect these students so much, as I cannot imagine having to give a speech in Chinese! It was a really fun and encouraging day to connect with students there, including two girls I had met on the train ride I took to Taiyuan a few weeks ago! I walked into the class we were going to be observing and knew I recognized one of the students and then realized we had sat across from each other on the train. Of all the people in Beijing for me to sit across from on that train ride, and of all the classes I could have attended on that campus! I had actually gotten the other girls phone number so I called her once I got to campus and we were able to meet up for lunch. I am so thankful for the Divine appointments and opportunities that arose over this weekend.

Stop and Go

It is hard to believe it is already October and we have already had two major holidays and breaks from school. As much as it has been nice to have the days off, it has been difficult to get into a routine in my personal life as well as in the classroom. Students are beginning to settle back into campus tonight and we will work this weekend and a full week next week. It will be a long stretch until our next break when the American teachers get a couple of days of for Thanksgiving, but I am ready for routine!
I took full advantage of having our week long break for National Day this past week. Our team got to travel to the city of Taiyuan, about a 3 hour fast train ride, west of Beijing, to visit another team of teachers their that we became friends with at training. We were so thankful for their hospitality and encouragement. We ate very well during the trip, everything from homemade oatmeal banana chocolate chip pancakes, to fajitas with homemade tortillas. I guess that's the thing here in China- we don't have a lot of access to Western food, so you have to be creative and make everything from scratch which makes it that much more delicious to eat! It was great to see another part of China, as Beijing has been my only experience thus far. The train ride allowed us to pass through many beautiful mountainous areas where I saw rice farmers and small villages, and then we arrived in Taiyuan, a booming and growing city that had a lot of charm and a smaller town feel than Beijing, but it was still rather large. We went shopping and to large park that was full of families and fun activities for the holiday. We definitely noticed more attention and stares, as it is not as common for the people their to see foreigners as it is in Beijing. I even got pulled into two Chinese family photos! I'm sure I will be on their wall or in a frame in their homes for years to come. The attention is kind of nice for a little while, but I am thankful my everyday living is not like that.
I am starting a new unit tomorrow that will be about weekend activities. This includes teaching many verbs and I found a "Verb Rap" that I can't wait to have the students learn!I feel a little more prepared to begin teaching this new unit as I have made it through teaching the first one, but I still am learning new techniques to practice vocabulary, choosing activities that have the students speaking the majority of my short 40 mins. with them, and building relationships with them through the language barrier. More teaching updates to come...