Back to School!
I knew I liked teaching, but…. I forgot just how much! My first week back in the ‘seat’ was really great. I have 8 different classes this Semester, and they are all new faces to me, but not the school. Half will graduate next June (2008) and half in (2009).
However, I quickly discovered that these students already knew all about me! It appears that I have developed quite the reputation here at my university, so much so that many Chinese English teachers are lining up for the opportunity to observe my teaching. And students I don’t even know are greeting me on the streets around campus! It’s a great feeling indeed, because apparently my old students are the ones who are praising my skills. It’s wonderful to know that my teaching really is making a difference here!
Monday, September 10th was TEACHERS’ DAY, great timing so early in the semester – they haven’t had a chance to hate us yet! I was greeted by my classes with CHEERS, flowers and greeting cards. It’s a wonderful way to start off the semester!
The arrival of our university students heralded the return of some of my favourite Autumn street snacks: the old man hawking ‘baked sweet potatoes’, fresh roasted Chestnuts, and BBQ’d skewers of meats and vegetables, especially Corn on the Cob! Yummy! Most items cost just 1-2 RMB (30 cents). Life is good!
I’m finding the Chinese English teachers much friendlier to me this semester too. Already I have had lunch with two of them; turns out that the daughter of one took a class with me last semester (and I never knew!). And, this morning I was approached by a staff member who told me our University’s President would like me to make a list of my favourite Chinese foods so the lunch room can be sure to have something special ready for me each day in case I don’t like what’s on hand. The President met personally with the cafeteria manager to suggest this idea. We have over 600 teachers and only 4 English teachers, and he is worried about ME! Can you believe such a thing?! I feel quite flattered about so much attention and effort being paid to me.
I’m also making the time to form friendships with some of my former students from last year – many of them don’t have Oral English on their curriculum this year, so I’m hoping we can meet every so often and talk in English.
One of my students spent 20 days in TIBET this summer. I am so jealous! Her pictures are absolutely outstanding! We met for dinner the other night where she presented me with the most beautiful framed photograph of Potala Palace in Lhasa (check the link for photos). Turns out she has also traveled to China’s northwest, which is my dream destination – The Silk Road! We naturally will have lots to talk about in the coming weeks!
And last night I was invited by another ‘former’ student to a dinner meeting she was having with the Broadcasting Department of our university. Yes, every university has their own local radio broadcasting station, and she is a new member, whose responsibility will be to do some ‘story-telling’ on the radio each day. During our meal, I was asked my opinion on everything from “how to learn English”, “how to teach English more actively” to “what title should we give the ‘story-telling’ program? Well, several hours later, with a full belly and several business cards less, I headed home to my apartment, secure in the knowledge that I will receive some calls over the next few days asking me to ‘review’ some English content before it goes out over the radio waves. It’s a good thing I LOVE what I do!
Tags: Travel
carolh452003
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