Teaching English

I'll write about the three younger-kid classes, because I have them every day and they are the trickiest. So right now the classes are kind of small: a lot of people are vacationing, etc. The youngest class has two girls in it, which is a horrible combo. They seem to like the female Taiwanese teacher who teaches right before me, but as soon as i get in the classroom things usually start to go downhill. Louis said he had trouble with them too and they didn't like males. Usually as soon as I enter they start moving all the desks and "building a house". the first couple times I just kind of let them, and "taught" through the whole thing. Yesterday I stopped them a quarter through by moving the desks back. They really didn't like that at all, and the day was pretty hard. At the end, Betsy said, "We want to build the house. We'll do (whatever it was) if you let us build the house." Well, I was pretty sure that wouldn't work, but I said, "You can build the house after (whatever it was)." So we did the thing, then I let them build the house and tried to talk to them in English as much as I could while they were doing it. It seemed to work ok.

So today, I moved the first desks back as soon as they started to do anything. I told them they could build the house after we did everything we needed to do. Betsy seemed ok with this compromise, though Amanda wasn't really having it. Class was touch and go, with Betsy being much more cooperative than Amanda, but much better than previous classes. I had brought down a Clifford (big red dog?) book, because both girls seemed to like reading with me outside of class. When I opened that up Amanda still wasn't really having it, and just kind of pretended to read while Betsy actually read, but that was fine or whatever. Finally, Amanda was like "WHEN are we going to get to BUILD the HOUSE???" so i picked a point about three pages later in the book and said "when we get to here." Then I had full cooperation from both of them for about 5 minutes, while I asked them questions about the pictures, etc. and they both actually came over and sat in my lap (at that point I had succumbed to sit on the floor with them). They were even relatively cooperative with me while and after they built their house. So that's working out. I need to tell them tomorrow that when more people join the class we won't be able to build houses anymore; I don't think they'll like it, but i think it's best to prep them now. we'll tackle that when it comes around.

The other class just has 9 kids and is hectic as hell... there are usually a couple points in any given class where I have to chase kids around and grab the ball from them. The only time I can get much done is when Steven's wife comes in (i need to learn her name) and "observes". she's really really nice, doesn't speak much English, but a little, and can read along with the kids, etc. She teaches Chinese at a local high school. I think that lends her an aura of authority that I just don't possess yet, because the kids are all perfect when she's there. Yesterday she came in as I was physically moving Luke outside the class room as some sort of punishment. Luke and Samuel are brothers. They are in the same class and they usually make 7 other kids' time there pointless. Well, I had a gut reaction to stop picking-Luke-up-and-setting-

him-down-in-the-hallway when Steven's wife walked down the corridor, thinking that perhaps that wasn't appropriate in Taiwanese culture (or in any culture?) but I stuck to my guns, and followed up with a "You can stand in the hallway, or be quiet and sit down in class." Of course, with the real teacher in the room, I didn't need to do anything but teach, as all the kids magically appeared in the center and stopped talking and answered everything I asked them. Luckily, I had prepared what would have been a complete excess of material on any other day where I spent a third of the time trying to get anyone to pay attention to me.

side note: After the next class, which I will write about below, I went upstairs and sat down at my desk. Steven's wife came up and sat down at the desk next to me. I thought she was going to give me some suggestions, or tell me that maybe I shouldn't physically apprehend the children. She said she thought I was really a very good teacher. Nothing more. I was dumbstruck. I did my usual thing, which is to deflect the complement in as many directions as possible, which I think is not too well received at home. I think I usually end up convincing people that I didn't deserve the complement in the first place, then I feel like an idiot. "Oh no. They're a hard class, they were really well behaved while you were there..." yada yada yada. In Chinese/Taiwanese culture, where you receive compliments by saying "where" as in A: "you look nice today." b: "where?" this went over a bit better. Also, like I mentioned, she doesn't really speak English. anyhow, it was really very nice to hear.

The last class is four boys who seem to like me quite a bit. They are the most advanced of the younger kids, so it's a bit easier. That, compounded with the fact that any threat of not playing the inevitable game (basketball, soccer, dodgeball, baseball, etc. all played with a soft, cube pillow dice using desks as props) makes class pretty enjoyable/easy. It's a nice way to end the day.

Everyone should have to teach some level of children before owning a child, I think. I'm talking below 14 here. It gives one an idea of parenthood, and also would probably ease the burden on teachers, who I hear feel stretched thin between parents and students. Shit ain't easy. It's not all bad, though, either. It can be really, really rewarding. I've been doing it for like ten seconds and I can already tell. So here's to the teachers! 加油! (add oil, or fill your tank, as in Go for it!)

I also had a really great chat with Steven after work today. He talked about how thankful he is he had such a great opportunity to study in Japan and New Zealand with many scholarships, etc. and how he tries to impart that sense of gratitude on his children, one of whom has a full ride to Wesleyan. It's nice to work for someone you have respect for and agree with. He told me to tell him if I have any problems at all (maybe his wife talked to him :). He told me to work hard and "master" Chinese. And he told me 加油!

大家加油!

Sincerely,
Jonathan