Classes and a Really big Show Part I

Having gotten over the initial sort of hazing experience with my little living quarters, getting ready for school was less of a big deal. I would love a bath right now, though. Yafei and I ate once again in the George Orwell dining hall. I am getting very good at food words and saying "a little, thank you" in Mandarin. I had a sort of pita pocket that tasted like a dry matzo and an egg. Given the choices, it was exactly what I wanted. You are supposed to put things in the pita pocket like vegetables and meat, but I said "none" in Chinese. Utter bafflement. Not at the Chinese, but at my request. Crazy American. My stupid frozen Eggo waffles that I eat on the way to school at home are seeming pretty good. The food is really OK, but it is something else to adjust to. I have no idea what I am eating sometimes vegetable wise. I have switched over to mostly veggie for the time being.

The kids managed to get from their homes to the classroom building and up 5 flights of stairs and into their classrooms without our supervision. I checked on them, and there they were with all 62 of their classmates in most cases. Yafei and I observed an English class.

This was pretty interesting, as it is when you really have the opportunity to observe a lesson that someone has prepared for that purpose. The teacher was doing her regular lesson, but she knew we would be observing. They basically watch our every move -- did so especially at the visit to the international campus, and this observation was scheduled. This may calm down eventually. I think in part they are just taking care of us.

Kids purchase their textbooks, and they consist of thin workbooks that when stacked on the desk top out at about 6 or seven inches. Class started out with a student reading the first paragraph in The Hound of the Baskervilles of all things in English. Then students were asked to say what the story might be about. When they did not respond (this is Conan Doyle and his longish sentenced 19th century English for goodness sake), the teacher said kindly, "Perhaps you will have more luck if he reads it again. Please," and with that formally indicated for the boy to repeat what he just read. Students then raised their hands, and stood each time they had a response, and paraphrased in excellent English what they thought it might be about. They were slightly confused as there was Dr. Watson and Dr. Mortimer, but still impressive.

As class progressed through a brainstorming session about life on other planets, the teacher periodically changed the pictures on the screen at the front of the room. It would be so excellent (hint hint to anyone who can do anything about this) if all the History rooms had the in focus projectors mounted in the ceiling. I really saw how this worked; it made choreographing the technology that much easier. The students also conversed in pairs and then were called upon to give the results of their discussions. Their workbooks contained a reading selection about going into space and then they had to write a piece for homework about problems and solutions one might encounter on such a journey.

Interestingly, in this classroom and in others we visited, all the teachers said something like "We have heard from boys. Any girls who wish to respond?" And there always were -- several -- and they were as articulate and expressive as the boys, definitely. I found out later, that the teachers at this school have been learning American methods at a special teaching school in Xi'an. The "flexible teaching methodology" was something we as Americans were credited with at the assembly later.

I am, however, beat. (This is a recurring theme.) We have a three day weekend coming up, so maybe I will have a chance to catch up on this a little. I went to the store tonight (20 minute walk both ways -- bicycle in my near future, for sure) and had to do hand laundry ,which with no hot water in a sink tap is a project. Living here is a little like camping, but you have to wear real clothes. And there is Chinese food for every meal!!!!!!! The heat is not turned on in the buildings and they keep doors open. It is probably 50 degrees in the building during the day. I wear my leather jacket constantly. I must be a sight by now. I'll get someone to take a picture, but I might scare myself.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz