Job Discussion Forums

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

Thanks. Now I know why I wound up here "teaching" English!!

waxwing · Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 719 Location: China

theincredibleegg · Joined: 01 Jul 2008 Posts: 224

brsmith15 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1142 Location: New Hampshire USA

A normal university is one where all the students are 170 cm. tall, weigh 60 kg, have an IQ of 100. All students get "C's" in every course they take.

mep3 · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 212

A Normal University is, I believe, a British term. It does mean a university for training teachers. However, many of the students who attend normal universities in China (their degrees will certify them to teach) do plan to do other things instead.

A high percentage of them do plan to be teachers. I found them to be among the kindest and most genteel people I've ever met.

My apartment's kitchen did have a fridge, gas burners but on top, not an inside oven (sorry, I'm a guy who never learned how to cook so my kitchen vocab s-cks), and tons of counter and cabinet space. I had hot water in the shower. I had a good sized living room, dining room, three bedrooms, and two long balconies -- all to myself. All newly renovated -- not fancy but very clean looking.

Mep

Zero · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402

mavis enderby · Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 19 Location: Cathay

I agree accomodation can be a bit hit and miss. Many of these places were set up after the cultural revolution and thus have some quite old bits. Here in Zhangzhou in Fujian we've got apartments in with the chinese teachers, which we find rather good with 2 bedrooms, lounge, kitchen and bog n shower. You can't complain as a dean lives opposite.

Students are good though of rural backgrounds and very friendly and eager to learn.

We could be needing some new esl teachers next semester if anyone is interested. FYI Zhangzhou is about an hour on the bus from Xiamen, famous for bananas, tropical fruit etc, not too far from a load of deserted beaches. You can make up your dosh with plenty extra work. Oh and it's warm and the air is clean.

themanymoonsofjupiter · Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 205 Location: The Big Link

TexasHighway · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 779

"Normal" comes from the French term "�cole normale" to indicate what was considered the model teacher training school in the 19th century. There used to be many "normal schools" or "normal institutes" in the US until the 1920s and 1930s, when most schools changed their names to teachers colleges. Eventually, most of them changed their names again as they became comprehensive universities. Although China has retained the archaic term, most normal universities in China now are also comprehensive universities with many programs and majors that have nothing to do with teaching.