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Markness
Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 738
Location: Chengdu
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 Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:34 am Post subject: So public school people, how was your first day? |
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I'm assuming a lot of you guys haven't had to teach yesterday in the public schools, since they have some sort of orientation/opening ceremonies. Today, I had my first day here, and the students are awesome! I'm teaching high school now, and the students are like nothing i've ever seen before. School is super organized too, even let me lesson plan for 2 weeks and paid me for it (only had to go to work for 1.5 hours a day).
Any of you guys have any good/bad stories?
Have a nice day!
Mark |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:43 am Post subject: |
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It's good that high schools are using foreign teachers. More of this now it seems to me.
In the old days only foreign language high schools bothered with FTs.
Be interested how first day at tertiary outfits went. |
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Markness
Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 738
Location: Chengdu
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| Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:48 am Post subject: |
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| Oh, I think I might still fall under that second category you mentioned. I work in the international department, but somehow teach all the classes in the school that are senior 1, which is quite a bit. But the students are delightful, so much better than my previous experiences. And their English is awesome! Never had classes where all students participate. Usually have to bully the a-hole rich kids around for a long time, but, these students were just delightful. Hope everyone else had a good time too! |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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Markness.
These students have yet to sit the Gao Kao - right? |
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Markness
Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 738
Location: Chengdu
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:05 am Post subject: |
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| Nope, none of them have to do the gaokao. They just need to pass their TOEFL/IELTS tests to go and study overseas afterwards. It is really a breeze and less pressure on everyone (students and teachers), since they don't have to do it. Everyone's having a good time, and we're all learning a lot. Wish this was the case for other schools too! |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Markness wrote: |
| Nope, none of them have to do the gaokao. They just need to pass their TOEFL/IELTS tests to go and study overseas afterwards. It is really a breeze and less pressure on everyone (students and teachers), since they don't have to do it. Everyone's having a good time, and we're all learning a lot. Wish this was the case for other schools too! |
That's interesting.
I've always thought the GK was a great killer of enthusiasm for Oral English.
The GK has no oral component so for a full 12m before coming to university our freshmen have not had a need to speak.
But Markness your overseas-bound group still have to gain entry to a college in the US, Canada, Aust, NZ - right.
What happens if they fail to do that? |
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bigben10
Joined: 28 Apr 2015
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Markness wrote: |
| Nope, none of them have to do the gaokao. They just need to pass their TOEFL/IELTS tests to go and study overseas afterwards. It is really a breeze and less pressure on everyone (students and teachers), since they don't have to do it. Everyone's having a good time, and we're all learning a lot. Wish this was the case for other schools too! |
You mentioned 'public' school. I can only assume you are at an International school. To the best of my knowledge at all public and private schools in China, their high school students have to sit the Gao Kao.
Senior one will have only just finished their mandatory military training a few days since so are unlikely to have even had any lessons yet. I started on 25th August, my senior two classes who I saw last year as senior one whilst enthusiastic have not spoken English for the two month holiday and need a lot of time to get them energised.
Senior one students are generally more enthusiastic anyway because the pressure on them is less at this point. As the year progresses though you do notice a change.
There is no oral requirement in the GaoKao for English so that is why some students feel foreign teacher oral English lessons are superfluous to them. They are solely focused on passing GaoKao. I do occasionally teach senior three students and whilst they welcome a break from their 16 hour days of study, the only thing on their minds is passing the University Entrance exam.
I'm glad you have a good bunch of students but don't be surprised to see their enthusiasm wane as the year progresses. In both International and public schools, the work is gradually ramped up for senior one students to prepare them for the mammoth slog ahead.
And if they don't pass their TOEFL/IELTS tests they will have to do GaoKao! |
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wangdaning
Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154
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| Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:31 am Post subject: |
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The gaokao needs to die. Many, even those who do well, lose. Any idea of learning and having independent thought is lost.
On topic, I haven't started teaching yet, contract hasn't began. I will post when we do our intake exams to let you know how our students here are doing. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:32 am Post subject: |
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It's not unknown for students to attempt the GK a second time.
This is done to attain a better score which in turn leads to being accepted by a university that is higher up the food-chain.
The better the uni the better the job.
Two years concentrating on GK means two years with no need to keep oral English going. |
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wangdaning
Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154
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| Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:39 am Post subject: |
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| bigben10 wrote: |
To the best of my knowledge at all public and private schools in China, their high school students have to sit the Gao Kao.
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Not true, nobody has to take the gaokao. There is the vocational branch in edu here where students can learn a skill. Or they can skip it all together. My wife did the vocational thing, and not cramming for the gaokao is, in my opinion, what allows her to have independent thought.
What I mean by independent thought is standing up for what you think versus what people are telling you. When studying for the gaokao students end up all thinking the same and saying the same things (many times actually believing them). That is why it takes a while for many to not seem like robots.
I am not trying to put Chinese people down here, just the stupid education system. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:57 am Post subject: |
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I'm not so pessimistic.
I think the students do what they gotta do to progress in the system.
Give them topics for dialogues that allow creativity, humour and general pisstakes on the system and you will be blown away.
I do this in electives as well as regular oral classes. Trouble is so few turn up for electives - especially as Winter rolls in. |
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wangdaning
Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154
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| Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 9:55 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, that did come off a bit more pessimistic than intended. I don't pre-judge people, so there is every chance I will get groups of awesome students. I hope I will.
To put it in perspective, I remember some of my classmates studying for hours for the SAT. It caused them the same type of issue. Complete brain drain, not able to think of anything else. Personally, I did not study for it, just walked into the room and did the exam. |
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