Job Discussion Forums

[7969]

after four weekly meetings with my chinese colleauges here are my conclusions:

1. as i wrote in my previous post on this same topic, we meet once a week to discuss various things. current events, teaching, a bit of this and that.....

2. i email the group once a week (at a minimum) and at least 48 hours before our meeting so as to inform them what we'll discuss.

3. the email i send out usually contains at least one short attachment (a page) to read, and maybe one or two links to other items (this week it was to two radio shows from the archives of the CBC). they give me almost 0 input, aside from our first meeting. meaning, i will discuss anything with them, but they fail to tell me what interests them.

4. as i expected, 1/25 had read my email (however this one individual hadnt listened to the two radio shows).

5. the discussions are dominated by me, with input from perhaps 4-5 of the group. the remainder of them stare off into the distance or struggle to stay awake, including one of the deans LOL

6. the participation i get from this group of teachers is less than my worst class gives me, and four weeks in i havent heard a peep out of some of them.

7. i do know that they have a two hour teachers meeting (which they hate) either before or after meeting with me, so i understand that wednesday afternoon is probably their least favourite time. however, they have left me with a less than positive impression of the chinese teacher.

8. i suppose i have three choices: a. ask to cancel the class and ask for a class of students some of whom might enjoy it. b. ask for only the interested ones to show up the rest can have two hours off. c. just not show up LOL

any comments on related incidences would be appreciated. how would you dela with this group?

7969

[kev7161]

If they're going to treat you with disrespect (disrespect meaning, not talking, not listening, not becoming involved, not trying, not doing "homework", not preparing, etc.), then you need to find out what you are doing and why they are there. What are their objectives (your "students" and the school)? How can they (not YOU!) meet their objectives?

If they don't give you any help or any ideas, then I'd show up for class with a nice book or magazine and read for the next hour. Or, I'd call up that one interested student and have a one-to-one session with him at your desk. If the others start becoming agitated or angry, then surely they understand English well enough for you to explain WHY you are doing what you are doing.

Stop giving excuses for these "children" ("well, they have a 2 hour teacher's meeting, so I understand") - - who cares? You've been tasked to teach them and getting absolutely no feedback makes for a long period.

A final thought: Print off reading material and have a list of comprehension questions attached. Make sure it is something advanced (not TOO advanced mind you). If they come across something they don't understand, they can come to you and ask about it - - if they even care. THAT'S your English lesson. Put the burden on them, not you.

A second final thought: If the DEAN is in your class, then who the heck do you go to if you want to complain? And, have you complained as of yet? What did they say if you have? If they don't care, why should you?

[Babala]

I think one big problem that exists here is that quite a few teachers don't want to be teachers. I was teaching at a college and I spoke to many of the Chinese English teachers and not one of them liked teaching. I asked why they had studied to be a teacher if they didn't want to be and the answer was that they had scored a certain mark on their examination and they had gotten into a teaching university. After graduation they needed a job so they end up being stuck in 5 year contracts. There is also something about if they don't become teachers they have to pay back some of their uni fees or something (heard from a few, not too clear about this though). So now you are stuck trying to improve these people's english for jobs that many of them don't even want. I say don't kill yourself planning lessons. I wish you the best of luck

[frigginhippie]

Give them the assigned homework at the end of each class, as you would with your regular students, so there's no "i didn't check my email" excuse. Send them home if they don't complete it before the next class. I imagine since it's your class you can do that.

can you rearrange the seats? put them in groups? force conversation/debate on some topic within the group? Have group leaders present opinions to the class? Call students up to the front to demonstrate what you've discussed? Throw the 'question ball' at whoever must answer (this works well with little kids )? Punish wrong answers with jumping jacks or some other physical activity to get their blood and spirits pumping.

Deep down adults really just want to play, so make 'em play.

Good luck,
-fh

[vikdk]

babala is dead right - teaching is also a way for people from rural districts to get into the cities - many schools employs these so-called "country-side" people because they can get them at a cheaper wage - but a catch 22 situation soon developes - the other work is in pretty short supply and contracts bar them from leaving teaching anyway - another reason for a long faces in the classroom.

[erinyes]

Perhaps you could say something that is completely wrong, outrageous, stupid, crazy, ridiculous.... with a really straight face.

See if they hear you at all.

[Roger]

My advice may fall on deaf ears but I have learnt like you, the hard way, and I have formed an opinion of my own.
It is true that people in China do not necessarily seize on opportunieis to be teachers or other professionals with anything bordering on enthusiasm; the same applies to their study!
Therefore you must be less PC-inclined and more proactive to the point of being, perhaps, patronising. You must take the lead and command respect by being more knowledgeable than they are (not just more capable of speaking English!).

Don't shy away from focusing on some common grammar problems, for example!

And yes, supervise them in class as they do homework or their prep work!

It works well with my university students - same mindset!

[vikdk]

do other people find that last Roger post offensive - or is it just me?

[Midlothian Mapleheart]

Edited to remove offensive content.

Middy

[7969]

i just want to emphasize that i dont see this weekly get together as "teacher training" (even tho the dean calls it that) as i'm hardly qualified to train anyone. i see it more as a way for them to know more about the world as a foreigner sees it, and for me to better understand how the chinese see things. however, we havent gotten very far in that respect yet.

thank you for the posts. some good sound advice here. i'll incorporate some changes and take a different tack next week. i'll post here the results.

7969

[vikdk]

how do you stamp a group of people to exhibit a certain mindset - ohh i get it polish jokes, jewish jokes, and englishmen, scotsman and irishman jokes, yeah of course stereotyping - hey middy do you and rog know any Chinese teacher jokes - or are they too offensive.

[frigginhippie]

...cynical FT jokes...



"Chinese mindset" is a fairly safe slogan, used even by the Chinese. It's not derrogatory any more than saying "British mindset" or "American mindset". It's just a category. Categories exist, and grouping people into categories for educational purposes benefits all involved. Those stagnant with X style education can receive Y style with success.

Y style usually includes games

[vikdk]

sorry hippy that post just gets me thinking about square pegs in round holes - my training taught me always to be aware of the individual.

[Roger]

[vikdk]

Sorry rog - I'll try to be a jolly lets tow the line fellow next time

by the way where do you get your funny little phrases from - the Biggles book of good English?