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Origin of the dancing monkey ?

 
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donb2222



Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 134

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:40 am    Post subject: Origin of the dancing monkey ? Reply with quote

I started a new class yesterday. There are about 50 students, and at least 10 times they asked me if I could sing and/or dance for them.
I never sing or dance for anyone. Every time they asked me I would turn the question back on the student and ask them if they would like to sing and dance for the class. Of course, none of them would.

Anyway, what is the origin of this expectation ?
My guess is that there are some foreigners out there that do entertain the kids this way.
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Sonnibarger



Joined: 15 May 2007
Posts: 320
Location: Wuhan

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

guess it depends on the age of the students... pretty hard to be a good grade 1 teacher without singing/dancing... as kids get older they still remeber the good old days when the teacher would sing/dance for them.. if ur teaching uni tho Confused
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donb2222



Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 134

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am teaching high school.
The students are 15 and 16 years old.
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therock



Joined: 31 Jul 2005
Posts: 1266
Location: China

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get that guitar out and start singing laowai!! Laughing
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Optional_Toaster



Joined: 22 Mar 2009
Posts: 74
Location: Dong bei

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will joke around with students, but when they ask me to sing or dance I just tell them it isn't exactly common in western culture to do so on command. However, I've found that when I ask them to sing or dance the other students clap and cheer until the student gets up and performs. I think all the KTV and whatnot gets them used to it!
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Optional_Toaster



Joined: 22 Mar 2009
Posts: 74
Location: Dong bei

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 11:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another thought would be to save up a good fart for them....
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The Ever-changing Cleric



Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 1523

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Optional_Toaster wrote:
Another thought would be to save up a good fart for them....

you could tell them you're speaking another language, but without teeth.
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chinatwin88



Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Peking

PostPosted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

you could just say, that this is the wisdom of the toothless wonder.
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KidfromBrooklyn



Joined: 15 Aug 2006
Posts: 138
Location: Behind the Bamboo Firewall

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:04 am    Post subject: Not Singing? Reply with quote

Where are all the Drama Club Students? Didn't anyone ever have fun singing and acting in school?

Seems like you equate a performance with Mr. Bojangles sheessssss!!!

Every Friday morning is Performance time at my high school, all the classes in rotation put on a performance. It is wonderful to see these young people having fun on stage with their classmates.

My performance was to stand proud in front of the entire school and sing the Star Spangled Banner! The element of surprise is essential.

Yeah....Home of the Brave, land of the free!!! You want to see the faces on the school leaders. Can you say Gotcha? Truly worth a million US Bucks.

Performance time over...class and business as usual.

You youngsters need to get some gonads. Ha!

Turn it around, achieve, adapt, overcome!!!
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chinatwin88



Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Peking

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I once sang "Guns of Brixton"
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JamesD



Joined: 17 Mar 2003
Posts: 934
Location: "As far as I'm concerned bacon comes from a magical happy place."

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I stopped the requests very quickly.

I borrowed a guitar (because I don't play at all). Sat in front of class and strummed/thumped/plucked in horrific non-musical style while howling like a banshee. Told them it was the way my grandmother sang to me.

They never bothered me again.
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englishgibson



Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 4345

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Get that guitar out and start singing laowai!! Laughing
that's exactly what my former coworker did. it was hard not to notice as my class was next door.

cheers and beers to the expectations of foreign experts on mainland Laughing

_____________________________________________________________
i'm a good singer, but don't ask me to teach Laughing Laughing Laughing
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