Sunday, September 12, 2010

A tale out of Sequence: Talking about Teacher’s Day

I wanted to tell my tale in chronological order. Logically, describing my apartment and my subsequent feelings of loss and devastation should be the next post. However, as new experiences flood in, I think I will have no choice but to occasionally skip back and forth between chronology and current events. You will see the reason for this in short order. Maybe I can make the two blend together, perhaps akin to walking ahead while looking over your shoulder. Nothing to do but try, right? Let me know what you think.

September 10th is Teachers’ Day in China. That is the day teachers all over the country are showered with gifts, veneration and respect by parents and students alike. Traditionally, parents give the teachers money or gifts in the hope that the teacher would give their children favorable attention and better grades.

By the time this year’s Teachers’ Day rolled around, I had been a teacher in China for 2 weeks. Although I have always enjoyed teaching, and indeed enjoy my current post as a University language teacher, I have to confess that I am a bit confused as to the reception I’m getting from my students.

Some of them are eager participants in the class activities, and some would probably prefer to be anywhere but in class. I suppose that that behavior is typical in classrooms universally. But, because it is very important for me to be well received – not for my ego, but for the purpose I serve as foreign language teacher, I often wonder if I’ve made the proper impact, or if I’m making an impact at all.

After the first session, every student filed past me and said ‘Bye Bye’ or wished me a good day. The second session, some students sat further back in the class, and then ducked out the back door when the session was over, extending no greeting whatsoever. Have I lost those students in just two weeks?

I have no curriculum to teach by. I use no books, have no resources other than the board and some chalk, file no lesson plans, follow no guidelines and I do not work in conjunction with the English teachers that teach the kids grammar, spelling or sentence structure. In fact, I’ve yet to meet those other teachers. My job is to provide panache: I am the Native English speaker, there for the students to hear what a native English speaker sounds like. Along the way, I’m supposed to get the students to practice their oral English skills, which I do by playing games such as 20 questions or get them to imagine they are running a business, and present their business to the class.

But this is about Teachers’ Day. The Chinese government is currently encouraging parents to stop lavishing gifts and money on the teachers so that the teachers are more impartial. Is there such thing as an absolutely impartial teacher, I wonder? I like the kids who participate in class, and don’t care for the ones that flaunt disrespect by constantly tapping on their cell phones and looking out the window. I think it is just human nature to enjoy someone who responds positively to you. I’m not sure a gift of money or candy would change my mind with regard to a recalcitrant student. Besides, doesn’t that seem unethical to you? It does to me, too.

On Teachers’ Day, I was invited to participate in the English Corner for the first time. The English Corner is a group of students who get together for the sole purpose of exploring all things that have to do with the English language. Sometimes they watch a movie, sometimes they just have debates. It is also an open forum, where students with language questions or homework woes can come for help, solace or succor. I was quite honored to be invited.

During this particular meeting, the group was signing up newly arrived Freshmen. What a spectacle that was! We had a booth set up along an avenue by the dorms that was crowded with other clubs’ booths, and as the freshmen streamed by we would attract their attention, explain the rules and guidelines of membership and collect a 10yuan dues fee. My function was to drum up business.

As many of the new students had come from the far regions of Western China and had never seen a foreigner before, I was quite the draw. The draw? I was gawked at, thronged around, held up as an object of curiosity! Many people who had absolutely no interest in English stopped by our booth just to see me and talk with me. I can’t tell you how often a student asked if they could take a picture with me. Of course, I complied; that was my role in this whole affair. And, OH! The amazed looks when I opened my mouth and spoke Chinese! In short, as far as the English club and all of its members are concerned, I was a hit!

For days afterward, I was showered with gifts and attention. A plant from Zhenni. Tea from Lily. A bracelet from one of the freshmen who did not join the club but really enjoyed talking with me. Fresh fruit from Claudia. Invitations for dinner, for dessert, to go out… what a showing of devotion from my students and prospective students!

The Government may want to do away with gift giving on Teachers’ Day, and I can kind of understand that. A teacher should teach every student, whether there is a gift involved or not. But in my case, these University students spending their own money and time to show their appreciation… I don’t think the Government would be able to curtail these students’ gift giving. As a teacher, I wouldn’t want them to.

As a lonely human being on the opposite side of the planet to everything familiar to me, it was a balm on my aching heart. I would have been happy receiving no gifts whatsoever, I just thank my students for including me in their activities!

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