Job Discussion Forums

[Aphrodite#5]

The Hangzhou Bureau of Education has asked me to give a seminar on education NEXT WEEK. First of all, I'm 22 years old with no prior experience in teaching. I've been teaching 2 months and so far so good, but I'm hardly an expert. Can ya'll help me BS my way through a speech on education? Any help/suggestions would be much appreciated. They haven't specifically given me any topic. The conference will last 4 days, 2 of which I think they'll just be observing my classes. Good lord! They better be paying me a lot!!!

[Super Mario]

[vikdk]

I have given lots of this kinda lectures � to parents and teachers.

The kind of blurb I give is �

1. education can be seen as traveling along the road of life � where we as the teacher guide our pupils to places which enrich their knowledge � I know its yuck and clich�d but you can get lots into that one and it�s a good opener.
2. viewing the pupils not as empty vessels into which we pour knowledge but as seeds which we water and (for gods sakes don�t say fertilize!!) and enrich so they grow into � well you can get them to grow into something good � this is actually Montessori yuck � but its standard pedagogue text book material � you can milk that as well.
3. tell em about the western classroom � teacher and pupil follow and respect each other � project/group work/self learning principles � instead of pupils blindly following the teacher � oriental master teaching technique/passive learning.
4. I include some theory � there is a Russian called Vygotsky � his stuff is quite straight forward � a child�s learning potential is increased by good teaching, but of course the artful dodger was a good teacher, so a positive teaching environment is also useful. There are also people like Howard Gardner � (shiit I nearly wrote howard stern) � multiple intelligence � you can find all this shiit on the net.
5. stress � to much schooling going on here � so I give a be careful bit
6. then for the finale � make em feel proud � tell how China is becoming so modern, but education has to keep up � that kind of crap � it guarantees at least a clap or 2 from those still awake.

Hope that helps � best of luck

[erinyes]

How many people will you be talking to? Who will they be?

I Have been thinking about talking to the teachers about some of the interesting educational theories that have become really important in the classrooms in Australia.

Examples:
Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences
http://surfaquarium.com/MI/overview.htm
Everybody learns in different ways so to be a good teacher sometimes you need to write, sometimes speak sometimes draw a picture and sometimes move around. And ask the students to do the same.

Bloom's Taxonomy
http://www.kent.k12.wa.us//KSD/MA/resources/blooms/blooms.html
The Chinese students do too much remembering and not enough analyzing.


Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/regsys/maslow.html
People need to be comfortable and happy to learn at their best.

If you�re talking to teachers I think these theories might interest them.

[Don McChesney]

Tip. Don't tell them the truth, tell them what they want to hear!!!
Explain the Western way, but point out it isn't all a bed of roses, mention pregnancy, violence, drugs and smoking as products of individualism and freedom of choice, but how well it all can work out if the kids come from good loving caring homes.
Point out how much the Chinese kids are pushed by parents, who want the best for them, but don't realise that education has changed since they (parents )were at school. Suggest some changes. Reaffirm how English is the Lingua Franca, how they need FT's for pronunciation, but what a good job the Chinese do teaching grammar. Stress how good it is that the Edn Dept recognises change is needed and are discussing it in a conference.
The whole package is to make them feel you are not putting down China, even though you are, and it's a feel-good relationship.
I'm doing a teaching video next week along these lines.

[bjwellgo8]

[nolefan]

when in doubt, head over to wikipedia.

[sojourner]

For some interesting - and, possibly, some unorthodox - views on education, check out ChinaMovieMagic's thread,"Promoting change in China's English classrooms", on this forum.His last posting to that thread was on 18/10.

Peter

[vikdk]

Don your post really hit the nail on the head � great post � also nice of that bjwellgo to quote the entire piece � twice the coverage for half the work!!!

I was talking to an investor the other day about cooperating on a project � he has money in all kinds of private schools � you know the type bad suite and Lincoln Continental. Anyway he came out with one real grain of truth � after surveying the market he had come to the conclusion that most parents when deciding to spend money on sending kids to his schools take more notice of the decoration and hardware than any teaching method � he said things are changing � but most Chinese, and that includes the bureau of education, aint that interested in what we�ve got say. In fact he went so far as saying to promote our project we shouldn�t shout too much about how we were going to teach � because that just wouldn�t be interesting.

Aphrodite, the problem with the kind of audience your going to speak to is that most of them have to be their � but they aren�t really interested in attending in the first place � so most of them have a double reason for not being interested in what you say � which means you really don�t have to sweat � you really can bull you way through it and just about nobody will notice � this is China (where else but China would you ever get the chance to do this). But if you do want to do yourself a favor and get some of your own teaching ideas sorted out � take a look at some of the suggested ideas � you never know your little speech could help you become a better teacher � or am I being too naive as usual

[kev7161]

You might also mention how it actually may benefit schools if some degree-holding foreign teachers (well, those that have degrees in language, English, education, etc.) could actually HELP a school's foreign language department. They could be a definite asset by setting up curriculum as well as giving valuable insights on how to improve their students' interest? desire? need? to learn English.

Personally, I feel that many Chinese schools are missing the boat by just hiring "Oral English" teachers from abroad and using them as a white face only.

[Aphrodite#5]

Phew! Thanks everyone! I feel much better now after seeing your replies. They still haven't told me what or who I'm talking to, or what I'm doing, but I think I can bullsh*t my way through it...sh*t it worked in college! I kind of figured that the people listening to me either wouldn't care or wouldn't understand me, so that's why I agreed to do it. Hey, now I can put it on my resume! Anyway, anymore suggestions for content would much appreciated...thanks again!!!

[profile]

Kev - yes ! Such a waste.

I know they'd say "but the system prevents change" but I believe you can cover the exam-driven dross and actually teach them something.

[voodikon]

i have an idea. why don't you tell them to (not in so many words) f off? this kind of stuff is idiotic and pointless.

[Brian Caulfield]

Ok but I want some cash for this . You play long short with them . It is where you have someone translate for you. You say something very short maybe one sentence and then your friend translates this into something that is ten sentences in Chinese . Then you say something very long and the translater translates it into a sentence . They have no idea what you are saying so don't worry .
I think they are making fun of you anyway . They don't bring over to many experts in education because they are afraid of getting caught with all the bogus books and materials they are using here.
Ah yes the coup de grace is when you bring out a big hankerchief and hoof one into it . This really drives them nuts .