Job Discussion Forums

CherylAnneClara · Joined: 09 Jan 2010 Posts: 17

I have found a university in Guilin called the Guangxi Normal University. What is that? How does it differ from a regular university?

roadwalker · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 1750 Location: Ch

A normal college or normal university is primarily concerned with preparing their students to become teachers. You won't find much difference from other universities except possibly in emphasis. Chinese students apply to the schools with the best overall reputation that they think they have a chance to be accepted and then choose the top one of those, often regardless of curriculum. So don't be surprised to find that some or even a lot of students at a normal school don't want to become teachers.

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

A normal university is one where the FAO tries to rip you off and give you a inferior apartment to the one you were promised. Ha!

Mr. Ed · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Posts: 46

Sugar & Spice · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Posts: 73

"A normal college or normal university is primarily concerned with preparing their students to become teachers"

Hogwash.

Perhaps in the past. Now, "Normal University" = average students, ie: not the brightest who go to the "Abnormal University".

Sugar & Spice · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Posts: 73

"Chinese students apply to the schools with the best overall reputation that they think they have a chance to be accepted and then choose the top one of those.."

Complete hogwash.

The students take a test which is offered once a year. Based on their performance they are basically told where they will go to school and what they will study. If their folks have some cash this could change.

The students do not apply for anything.

Yunqi

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Pure, unadulterated hogwash!

My very good friend's daughter applied to a lot of universities. She chose the best one. And my boss's son applied to about 12 and was accepted to 5, and he chose the best one.

So yeah, they do apply.

PS

Welcome to Dave's ESL Cafe and happy Chinese new year to you.

Sugar & Spice · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Posts: 73

I assume they were "private" universities.

As stated, if the parents have cash things may differ. I guess your friend's kids aren't the brightest bulbs on the planet, just like me!

Thanks for your welcome.

MisterButtkins · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221

I work at a Normal University and probably half of my students say they want to become teachers. The other half want to be translators or business men/women. The only thing that strikes me as weird about it compared to other universities is that the kids have to practice writing on chalkboards, which I guess is useful for a teacher in China.

Mr. Ed · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Posts: 46

Normal Universities were formerly Teacher�s Colleges.

Two transformations occurred. First, Colleges were upgraded to Universities. This required a broader and more diverse curriculum and a higher admission standard.

Second, the educational mandate to prepare teachers was necessarily expanded.

Colleges offer two and three year degrees while universities offer B.A at a minimum.

The Colleges were staffed with 3rd tier quality teachers and administrators. This did not change with the new academic designation. Students still get a 3rd tier education at the new Normal University.

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

i work at a normal uni as well. of all the places i've worked in esl, these students are the best (overall) i've seen in my esl career. while most of them aren't the best academically, they show up, they respect their teachers, they organize and carry out various activities on their own, in general, just a good bunch.

CherylAnneClara · Joined: 09 Jan 2010 Posts: 17

Thank you to all of you. I especially appreciated hearing the students were good and respectful at a normal university.
I'm a little concerned about the housing. Is that really true about all normal schools? Or was that hotel business a one time experience? I do want to be comfortable and have my own apt if possible.

Cheryl

roadwalker · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 1750 Location: Ch

Rob Aston · Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 15

Student take a GaoKou (sp?) test at the end of their high schooling which gives them a score, they then use this score to apply to Universities most of whom have minimum scores. The big national Universities like Tsinghua have a quota of students from each province so the entry score will be different depending on where you apply from generally western provinces have lower required scores than eastern provinces (something some parents have latched onto hence you get Beijing residents falsley claiming to live in Guanxi province).

There are also "bonus points" to be had, most ethnic minorities get automatic points added and Taiwan applicants get a whopping number added as part of an effort to try and drag the youth of Taiwan into the Chinese education system, which woul d be stupid for any to actually take up.

drumbeatdeva · Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 1 Location: Oakland, CA

I'm just starting soon to teach at a normal university in Jinan. The apartment they provided was sufficient for one person, but rather shabby. However, I was able to get them to paint it (two coats even!), so that it's quite nice now. Also, there were two desks and only one single bed. I was able to get them to take out one overlarge desk and bring in another bed, so that I could have guests over.

The apartment is a square, with one large room that has an enclosed porch. The light is always wonderful in this room. The bathroom is a generous square, the kitchen is another square only slightly bigger than the bathroom, and there is even a dining room, another small square that might be charming once I fix it up. The only rectangular room is the bedroom. And it has both a credenza and china cabinet!

I have windows looking out both sides of the building. There's not much of a view, it's true, but it's light and airy and it's a good place for writing, reading and studying, spending time on the Internet, correcting papers, lesson planning, etc. It's nice and quiet. We're located on the university grounds, well away from street noise.

The kitchen is a small square, but entirely adequate for one person, although there wasn't much furnished in the way of usable pots and pans. As often occurs in China, there's an overlarge microwave oven that no longer works, and only one burner that functions on the stove. What's best about the kitchen is that there is a window over the sink, always a plus in my estimation.

Of course, there isn't any hot water at the kitchen sink, so all water to wash dishes must first be heated. After all, this campus is over 30 years old. But I've grown used to this drawback, just as I've grown used to the fact that you really shouldn't ever flush toilet paper down toilets in China.

There are built-in closets and plenty of storage space. The bathroom has a shower and a nice washer that does all of the cycles automatically. We've had some problems with getting hot water and sufficient heat when the temperatures fall below 0 degrees Celsius, though.

I think spring will be lovely here, with all of the mature trees on the campus. I've been told, though, that autumn is the nicest season, with the best weather. So far the staff have been wonderful, and seem fairly well organized, as the program is run by professionals in their 30's.

I taught in an intensive English program (for students who did too poorly on the university entrance exam to place as a normal student) that was parked at a prestigious university in China. It was very poorly managed by people who were somewhat older. The only requirement, it would appear, was to have a certain rank in the CP and a willingness to make nearly all decisions by a committee process that guaranteed poor results.