I have never in my life studied so hard for a test that didn’t count towards anything. I think I am becoming Chinese. I respect my Chinese teacher so much I don’t want to let her down. I have never felt like that about a teacher before. I feel if I don’t do well in her class she will take it as a personal failure. And if we as a class fail she will feel she failed us as a teacher. I can see how much effort she has put into teaching us, developing lessons and vocabulary that we could use and would need immediately. Overly praising every mispronounced word and broken sentence we put together. She spoke so freely and respectfully about her personal life, Chinese laws, travel, and cultural differences. No topics were off limits and she laughed with us at our observations. It seemed like every other day she had a treat for us, rice cakes and cereal bars, rice cookies. She sincerely wanted us to enjoy China and the food always giving us suggestions of where to visit, shop, and eat.
It is a very different situation and learning experience when you are learning a language and teaching a language at the same time. I saw examples of all the right teaching techniques we learn in the training course in my Chinese class. It’s definitely a new perspective to know how difficult it is for me to learn Chinese and how much better my 3rd graders are learning English. My co-teacher showed one of our students a Chinese song we were learning to see if he knew it too. He just laughed in her face and said, “It’s a baby song!” This was the same kid that corrected my spelling. I am so impressed with the students as well. I can’t imagine any 3rd graders going to a foreign language summer camp taking 6 hour-long classes each day. But I feel the obligation to teach them all that I can if this is their summer vacation. And classes as the top university in the country can’t be cheap. It’s hard to imagine what kind of sacrifices the parents are making to give their children the best opportunities. I got stopped in the street yesterday by a man and his 2 little girls and I finally figured out the dad was having the girl ask me to tutor her! Even with my Chinese book I couldn’t explain that I was only here a few days and I couldn’t be her tutor. I wanted so badly to be more helpful. Maybe this means I am becoming Chinese as much as I am becoming a teacher.
It is a very different situation and learning experience when you are learning a language and teaching a language at the same time. I saw examples of all the right teaching techniques we learn in the training course in my Chinese class. It’s definitely a new perspective to know how difficult it is for me to learn Chinese and how much better my 3rd graders are learning English. My co-teacher showed one of our students a Chinese song we were learning to see if he knew it too. He just laughed in her face and said, “It’s a baby song!” This was the same kid that corrected my spelling. I am so impressed with the students as well. I can’t imagine any 3rd graders going to a foreign language summer camp taking 6 hour-long classes each day. But I feel the obligation to teach them all that I can if this is their summer vacation. And classes as the top university in the country can’t be cheap. It’s hard to imagine what kind of sacrifices the parents are making to give their children the best opportunities. I got stopped in the street yesterday by a man and his 2 little girls and I finally figured out the dad was having the girl ask me to tutor her! Even with my Chinese book I couldn’t explain that I was only here a few days and I couldn’t be her tutor. I wanted so badly to be more helpful. Maybe this means I am becoming Chinese as much as I am becoming a teacher.
I am SOOO proud of you Christy. I envy your adventures and revel in your stories. What an incredible experience. Enjoy every minute of it. <3 Katie
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