An oh dear from China

[Trojina]

Hi Nancy,

You are feeling in a bad place. The first thing is to calm down (cf.hex 39) stop awhile and meditate not drink. That has nothing to do with your Oracles, that is just good advice to anyone in any stressed situation.


Frank

Hi Frank , as i explained in moderation this is not Nancy. This is Em Ching. Nancys forum name is emc2cme...sounds similar to em ching which is why you mixed them up no doubt.

Thought I'd let you know

 

[bamboo]

Every teacher, even teachers in their native lands with kids of the same culture, feel stressed and overwhelmed when they start. It's natural. The planning is the key as Lucia says...and some of her ideas above are fabulous ones. You can really have a lot of fun with this, Em, once you get your lesson plans flowing. Remember Robin williams teaching the kids in Good Day Vietnam? maybe you didnt see it, but he played softball with them and taught them american slang and they had a great time.

Going home is always an option....you're not trapped. Why not give yourself a designated timeframe and time to allow for the awkwardness to pass. you can always re-evaluate.
best of luck!

 

[willowfox]

So, the question is what is more attractive to you, becoming a nun or finding out what is next in your active life? The choice is all yours.

In terms of teaching, focus upon making work sheets the students can fill out, working on their own and take home with them to show their parents they are learning English and have them practice speaking some words or phrases in English each class that they can show off to their friends and family and enjoy saying to each other as classmates sharing this special info. The rest can wait until at least your second month of teaching.

Frank

Becoming a nun, lovely?

It is obvious that you have never taught in a Chinese school or any school for that matter, these are children that em ching is supposed to be teaching, and by 9.15 PM these kids are far too exhausted to be practicing English on anyone.

When I was in Taiwan I taught both adults and children and had to follow set lessons.

In Guangzhou, China it was university students, and that was really demanding work, as they had progressed beyond abc and way into grammar and the heavy stuff.

In other places it was just the ordinary stuff, children taking English as a second language.

Lastly, when you work for a Chinese school or university you don't have the luxury of adjusting or slowly getting into the routine, you are thrown in head first from day one and the Chinese expect you to perform and perform well. You are expected to work for your money, not like England or the US where you are allowed to "adjust" or take time off when you chose.

The Chinese are very demanding people but you should see how they themselves work, they never stop, their lives revolve around work and making money, and their philosophy is to never give up.

So, when in China do as the Chinese do(I mean work wise not the smoking cigarettes).

 

[neegula]

when i was a girl i went once working in algeria (false friend); i could do my job very well, but i had about the same problems em has now. most of all, i felt very alone.

em: look here
http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/friends/showthread.php?p=108307#post108307

 

[em ching]

Hello all,

Thanks so much for your contributions - advice and suggestions greatly appreciated.

Willowfox you're right about the CHinese mentality, and that is a factor making me want to feel more determined, but at the same time if I do get worse, I'm doing them a dis-service too. HOwever my lessons haven't been that bad and with careful organisation I could improve - but the actual action of teaching, I'm not enjoying. I can't realax into it - not so good at being fun especially in front of a crowd. But maybe it's ok to be a boring teacher lol. And I have been singing - never thought I'd be able to do that alone in front of people - and the kids are so nice. It's disconcerting really when you feel you've given a bad lesson! They have also followed me on the whole but sometimes I think I've confused/lost them. Thanks to my scatty brain I guess.

I have actually had an offer to go south so it could be all change again soon - hope not our of the frying pan... I'd be going to a beautiful area near Huang Shan taoist mountain where there's also lakes (no greenery here). There is a friend of a girl who's here with me there, and she's really unhappy because she's alone. I however wouldn't mind being alone as I don't fit in with the group here, she's already their friend, and down south I would be nearer to a couple of people I got on with during induction - although in CHina terms it's probs still too far to catch up on the weekend! But my placement is due to finish after 4 months (as it's an internship - I thought there'd be less pressure but yes I was thrown in the deep end!). I just have to see how my lessons go in the next two days - if worse then I will consider leaving the program more seriously... I don't want to but I'd also be doing the school a disservice by imposing myself I guess.. although maybe a mediocre teacher is better than none at all!?

And lucia I may take you up on your offer of teaching suggestions!

Thanks all

Em

 

[em ching]

Can anyone help me with these readings about changing schools? The girl at the other school is really miserable where she is because she's alone, though she likes the area etc, and the organisers are looking for someone to switch with ther.
I would be teaching older kids but would only have to do 3 lesson plans a week as I'd only see the same class once a week whereas as here it's about 3 times, so more planning needed... also I think I might be more fresh for them if they hadn't seen me for a week rather than every other day. I'd also be in a nicer environment so my cough might clear up (I've been given a cocktail of Chinese medicine by the school doctor here though so it should clear up but hasn't yet! still having erruptions...). I would be the only foreign teacher in the school though and living alone- but I think I'd be ok with that. Even though part of the reason I wanted to do this was meet people, I also feel that overall I'm better off alone rather than in a big group - prefer one on one.

I asked:
Is moving to the school in Jiujiang city the right thing to do?
11.2,4 > 55

This seems to be saying that as long as I'm humble and sincere (line 4) it is the right thing to do. But what could be the relevance of line 2? That I shouldn't forget those far away... think about everyone? Think about the bigger picture in terms of where I'd be most suitable for? For the general good? And 55 - perhaps down south is my best opportunity, or here is as good as it's going to get?

How to make a better job of it there, than I feel I have here so far?
38.3,5 > 1
Maybe saying not to see the worst in everyone and that they're critical (I often feel acutely the description of 38.3) and to make more of an effort to connect? A new start?

Or shoud I leave the programme? (This is probs a pointless question becuase I'm going to see how this week goes - if my lessons in the next two days are worse/more uncomfortable than they have been so far I may consider leaving more seriously.)
1.3,4 > 61

Seems to be reflecting the hard work and that it is overwhelming me *1.3 and that I actually have a choice - both staying and leaving would be right for me... and that I know deep down. Although I know I'd regret going home, but at the same time I don't want to make life difficult for others by staying and not enjoying/being any good at it! But if I could make it work, I know I'd be glad to have done it - it would contribute to my future rather than be buried as an expensive mistake...)

Finally, is there a chance of improvement in my teaching?
5.1,5,6 > 18
I know it's not me - doesn't really push my buttons and because of that I do feel in limbo. Like I'm waiting for something to give. Stay or go. And hex 18 - have always thought of it as irreversible decay, or is it saying that things are salvigable? You might wonder why I signed up for this not being confident about teaching, but I'm compulsive like that... it sometimes feels like sabotage. I just wanted something to happen again in my life! For it to become 3D again after spending months living at home...

I'd really appreciate some thoughts on these readings.
Must go now and do (better) lesson plans...

Em

 

[willowfox]

Your style of teaching will improve each time you enter the classroom, and there's no need to be nervous in front of a bunch of 12 year olds.

On my very first teaching assignment I walked into the classroom and just stared at all those little faces and then at their mothers who sat at the back of the class taking notes for nearly 5 minutes, then I just went for it, and took control and after that, it was easy. Kids are easy to teach, its was the adults that were so darn difficult.

You are the teacher, you are in charge, and the kids will do as you say.But don't give your power away.

 

[em ching]

Thanks Willowfox.

It's not that I get nervous, more that I'm not very good at being spontaeneous and haven't been able to relax and enjoy it while standing there... though I haven't had any complete blanks yet, and actually today went well - 100 green bottles countdown. It's definitely easier teaching the younger students - I started with older, and though ok, it was hard to gauge what they knew and didn't know and what would really catch their interest. I'm also not very good at getting angry in my normal life, and older kids need more discipline.

If I am moved south however, it would be teaching older students. Just when I'm starting to feel more relaxed and as if I kind of know what I'm doing with the students here! But at the same time, it might be better because of the environment and also because I'm not fitting in that well with the group which seems to be forming around me lol. Though I'm rubbing along with them I wouldn't mind being alone. Plus at the other school, I'd only have to do three lesson plans a week as I would only see the same class once a week - which might make it easier as I'd be a fresher presence each time - less likely to get bored of me lol, or play up. Also the lesson plans would be more clear and thorough than here where I am juggling...

We'll see how it goes.

 

[willowfox]

If I am moved south however, it would be teaching older students. Just when I'm starting to feel more relaxed and as if I kind of know what I'm doing with the students here!

Now a word of warning, the older the students are the more difficult it becomes to get them to respond in the classroom.

They will clam up completely because it has to do with the "loss of face" business if they make a mistake in front of their friends/classmates.

I found it terribly hard to get a response from my older students when I was there, as soon as I asked them a question they pretended they didn't hear and hid their head in a book.

Young kids are easy to talk to, some of my young students used to try and play when I was having my tea break, they were really keen and not shy either.

Don't get or show any anger, not good and remember Confucius, is patron saint of teachers.

 

[em ching]

Hi willowfox,

Thanks for the tips. I'm staying put now though - and will continue with teaching the younger kids and you're right they're far less shy but also, one girl cried when she got something wrong the other day - I felt bad. Loss of face is obviously drilled into them...

I'm having a good time and I feel relatively comfortable with the people I'm with which is good for me! And I'm planning places in the North to visit on weekends - including Datong, Chengde and Qufu etc. all Confucius territory I believe! - he was born in Qufu. Although they're so far away! That's what's annoying about travelling in China.

I'm enjoying the kids too and am coming up with ideas to try and make my lessons more fun next week - anybody know any good games/activities that go down well with 8-10 year olds learning English? I've done the songs - 'head, shoulders, knees and toes' and various others... Pictionary worked out well too...

Thanks,

Em

 

[em ching]

There's so many ideas on the web actually so it's ok!