The children

In total, there are fifteen different schools around the city. Whenever I’m teaching in the classrooms, I’m greeted by school children in the same way. It always begins with one young child peering out from behind a door. I smile and wave, and then the child disappears. Then, gradually, more faces appear from behind the door, and before I know it I’ve got lots and lots of children peering up at me! Then I say ‘hello,’ and they all disappear, all of them shy, apart from the ones brave enough to say hello and wave back.

During break time, the younger children always walk up to me. The problem is, they can’t speak much English, and my knowledge of Chinese is very little. They either stare at me, not knowing what to say, or they’ll chat away to me in Chinese, forgetting that I don’t understand!

The kids are so cute and sweet…most of the time! As well as Tom & Jerry, Jack & Rose that I mentioned in my previous post, I have come across unusual names like; Tiger, Dragon, Coco and Snow.

I’ve taught so many ages already and I have only been teaching for just over a week! Yesterday I had a class of four year olds and today I had a class of seventeen to thirty year olds. I’ve had one difficult class of twelve year olds so far. It is such a difficult age to teach, they aren’t young enough to play games but they’re not old enough to have conversations with. The naughty children are always boys and nearly always chubby. There is one in most classes!

I’m always told that children in this country are taught in classes between forty and a hundred and therefore, there is not much communication with the teacher and the children never get to play games. During my classes, it’s games, games, games! I like games, but playing them all the time and running around with them, it gets tiring! How do full time teachers work 9 – 5 all week, every week? I work in the evening and on weekends and that is enough for me!!

 So far I am really enjoying teaching English! :)