Job Discussion Forums

StayingPower · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 252

It comes to the point you know that education at these buxi-bans is just a farce. Often it seems cult-like, the mindset at some of these places, as if there's nothing but the book to follow by blind faith but no guideline on how to teach it.

What I'm saying is that I'm sick of the pretense. I'm sick of the false images, the over-scrutinizing, the henpecking, and the mass-mindedness which makes you, the foreigner, feel the fool if you don't follow blindly.

I'm sick of it, really am, vowing never to work at a buxi-ban again and hoping to move on to a highschool after my tenure at Gram.

Was scolded by the manager the other day, her having gotten angry I'd been at the job six months and didn't yet know all 200 students' names.

jotham · Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 77

Two hundred names is quite a lot, but so is six months. As an educator in the US, I learned the names of my 140 students within a few days. It can sure help with class discipline, communication, and students' respect. If you're learning Chinese names, on the other hand, I could better understand that.
I hear you about the pretense and mass-mindedness. But if you, the individual, see problems in that area, (while the groupies are nonchalantly blind to it), then you should also see solutions and provide that direction that is so sorely needed in such a poor environment. Sometimes, it will require that you take on responsibilities that normally appertain to managers � just do it. Be better than your manager; it's not hard to do in Taiwan. Take initiative, be excellent, and provide quality leadership.

StayingPower · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 252

TaoyuanSteve · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 1028 Location: Taoyuan

jotham · Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 77

timmyjames1976 · Joined: 26 Jan 2005 Posts: 148

200 names? More like 20-25 names. 5 Ritas, 5 Lulus, 10 Kittys, 20 Jackys.....

killian · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:14 pm Post subject:

200 names is a snap. look at them when you call roll. engage the ones you keep forgetting and use their names. people like to hear their names. a "very good, roboto" sounds so much better than simply "very good".

i loved working bushibans. i saw myself as an english speaking coach. tried to run class the same way. less of me orating and more of them playing/practicing withenglish (the vast majority of us are here to emphasize "spoken " english).

6 months is 180 days. they aren't even asking you to learn 1.3 names a day. c'mon stayingpower, you can do it. heck, you should be learning chinese characters at a faster clip than that.

five years in taiwan. teaching highschool english was by far the most soul-sapping exercise in futility of my time on island. recast your perspective and embrace bushiban. live in the present.

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

For sure it is not easy to remember all of your students names and you could be forgiven for not knowing all of them. However you will reap the rewards from knowing your students personally so perhaps if you make a little more effort in this regard you may find that your experiences become a little more rewarding.