Ok, so as the blog organizer, I totally failed at writing this thing. Teaching, planning, correcting, extra-curricular activities and visiting have taken up all of my time in the past weeks. I also prefer writing in my own journal when I'm on the train, on the way to or from school. Anyways, I thought this blog would be to write about my culture shock, how I miss home, how teaching is so different and so hard, and so on, but so far, none of this has happened! The only thing missing here is people from home and life would be perfect!
Last time I wrote here, I was still observing. I have been teaching ever since then. I much prefer teaching than observing. My first impressions from the observation week have turned out to be really accurate. The hardest part is teaching my form 1s because I only see them 1 hour per week. Their regular teacher is not helping me either. She talks with them in Cantonese and laughs at their jokes while I'm trying to teach. One time she was even reading the newspaper in the middle of the class while I was trying my hardest to get their attention. I have tried tips and strategies from Mr. Howden but it didn't really work. Why would they listen to me when their teacher doesn't even seem to respect me? They are still nice kids though, always very happy to see me. They are not very good in English so I have to put pictures for just about everything because they don't understand half of what they read. That took some adjustments, and I'm still adjusting, but I think that this morning worked well (I showed them a bunch of videos to explain new vocabulary words).
My form 4s works really well, but I find it to be the most boring of my three groups. That is because I need to follow the book and we did a lot of grammar lately because they had a uniform quiz on grammar and reading comprehension. The things that they learn are so not useful and their tests are crazy. They need to find the information from 4 or 5 different sources to build a text and they need to word it almost exactly like the sample result. There is also a huge difference in their level of English within the same classroom even though they are supposed to be at the same level. This makes things a bit harder too. I try as much as I can to give them a lot of visual support (this helps them a lot) and to incorporate some games or use fun topics in their writing assignments. I find that my CT babies them a bit too much though. She keeps giving them almost all the answers before they have even started. For their text, she gave them the beginning of all the paragraphs and they only had to complete the sentences and add a few things. I wonder what they will do in their uniform test when they have to do everything by themselves!
My form 6s are the best. They are so good even though they don't think they are. I have conversations with some of them for hours after class. I went out for lunch with some of them, which was really fun. I am also bringing half of the class to Ocean Park with me during the Easter break! I would've taken all of them but we could only bring so many... I like this class a lot because I can do almost what I want with them. We have watched a bunch of movies with discussion questions and writing and speaking assignments. I have also tried something that I found at SPEAQ, and it worked pretty well. Today, I have just started a project with them on teen drug use in Hong Kong. It seemed to interest them a lot. The only thing that bothered me is that I wanted them to do a movie over a couple of classes but my CT told me that they would do it during the Easter break. I didn't want to give them any homework because they already have so many, and I wanted this to be fun. I was really disappointed with that. Anyways, I hope they still enjoy it. This is my favourite class and I will miss them so much when it will be time to leave! I have created a bond with a lot of them, as I talk to them a lot outside of class. I can't wait to go to Ocean Park with them! It will be only me and Juanita (and Mr. Tong) with 22 students (5 of her form 4s, 2 of mine and 15 of my form 6s). It will be great!
So far, I like my experience a lot. I wouldn't mind staying a bit longer and I'm sure it will be hard when the time to say goodbye will come. It is funny to say, but when we came back from Mainland China this weekend, I surprised myself when I said "Ah! Finally home!" because now, Hong Kong really feels like home (with a few people missing, of course!)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Russ: Weeks 3-5 (Getting in the Swing)
Well, it didn't take long for me to fail at writing in this thing every Sunday. The drop-off in output was partially due to an illness and my need to deal with a personal issue back home, but the dust is starting to settle on that and I'm regaining my excitement for being here. It's simply hard to ignore that I'm living the opportunity of a lifetime and I can't waste a single second not enjoying it to the fullest extent of my ability.
A temporary cold led to me wearing this for a few days.
For the last 3 weeks, I have been teaching my grade 6 and grade 2 classes with something resembling regularity. I've missed some periods due to them having exams or me having to take part in other activities (like Easter Fun Days, where we performed in a drama, danced, led workshops, etc.), but I have definitely stepped up the level of responsibility from the observation period I talked about in my last post.
I simply love to teach these students. Their dedication to learning, coupled with the level of love and respect they show me on a daily basis has made teaching them an absolute pleasure. They are so inquisitive and have so many interesting questions to ask me every day. I've struck a balance with them where I have their respect and attention while I'm teaching them, but then I can go to the playground at lunchtime and play basketball with the older ones or have the little ones climb all over me.
They are so in awe over us for being so different from what they're used to. The students at our school, in particular, have spent a large portion of their lives within the confines of their small area of the city. For most of them, we might be the only western people they've ever seen. More specifically, I'm probably the biggest and most bearded person that they have ever encountered. The interesting thing is that while most adults I encounter seem to stare at me and look uncomfortable, the majority of the children just latch right on and want to know everything about me. I wish sometimes that adults could treat meeting people from distant cultures with the same wonderment and excitement that these children do.
Teaching here is completely different from back home. We follow a pretty set routine and schedule of pre-determined units and lessons here, without much variance. The students are very set in their routines and it's often more conducive to learning to adapt to their regimen, rather than attempting to reinvent the wheel. It's nice to insert some Canadian flavour in every once in awhile, but I feel like this experience is helping me become much more flexible in my teaching and I think I'll be a lot better for it. It helps that the other teachers and support staff are so completely helpful. I can't imagine a better group of people to work with.
The crowd on the way to mainland China for massages!
Sightseeing hasn't been as intense as it was in our first couple of weeks, but we have still seen our fair share of interesting things. We wandered around the city center with the grand-niece of our benefactor, visited some more markets, ate at several exotic restaurants, and even took a day-trip into mainland China to experience a real-deal massage for next to nothing (2 hours for approximately $25 Canadian). The adventures are likely to pick up again shortly, as we are about to embark on a week and a half of vacation!
More fun to come soon!
A temporary cold led to me wearing this for a few days.For the last 3 weeks, I have been teaching my grade 6 and grade 2 classes with something resembling regularity. I've missed some periods due to them having exams or me having to take part in other activities (like Easter Fun Days, where we performed in a drama, danced, led workshops, etc.), but I have definitely stepped up the level of responsibility from the observation period I talked about in my last post.
I simply love to teach these students. Their dedication to learning, coupled with the level of love and respect they show me on a daily basis has made teaching them an absolute pleasure. They are so inquisitive and have so many interesting questions to ask me every day. I've struck a balance with them where I have their respect and attention while I'm teaching them, but then I can go to the playground at lunchtime and play basketball with the older ones or have the little ones climb all over me.
Our school's principal, our supervisor, and all the Canadian primary teachers during Easter Fun Days
They are so in awe over us for being so different from what they're used to. The students at our school, in particular, have spent a large portion of their lives within the confines of their small area of the city. For most of them, we might be the only western people they've ever seen. More specifically, I'm probably the biggest and most bearded person that they have ever encountered. The interesting thing is that while most adults I encounter seem to stare at me and look uncomfortable, the majority of the children just latch right on and want to know everything about me. I wish sometimes that adults could treat meeting people from distant cultures with the same wonderment and excitement that these children do.
Teaching here is completely different from back home. We follow a pretty set routine and schedule of pre-determined units and lessons here, without much variance. The students are very set in their routines and it's often more conducive to learning to adapt to their regimen, rather than attempting to reinvent the wheel. It's nice to insert some Canadian flavour in every once in awhile, but I feel like this experience is helping me become much more flexible in my teaching and I think I'll be a lot better for it. It helps that the other teachers and support staff are so completely helpful. I can't imagine a better group of people to work with.
The crowd on the way to mainland China for massages!Sightseeing hasn't been as intense as it was in our first couple of weeks, but we have still seen our fair share of interesting things. We wandered around the city center with the grand-niece of our benefactor, visited some more markets, ate at several exotic restaurants, and even took a day-trip into mainland China to experience a real-deal massage for next to nothing (2 hours for approximately $25 Canadian). The adventures are likely to pick up again shortly, as we are about to embark on a week and a half of vacation!
More fun to come soon!
Val : It's been more than a month!
It’s incredible how time flies by since we’ve been here! Though I can feel the tiredness slowly coming, I still have difficulty finding the right words to describe how I feel here! I am at the point where I would simply need my family here to stay here forever! I love the country, the atmosphere of our house, the way we are being treated everywhere, and so on. Every morning I wake up a little earlier than the others, I shower, get ready really fast and then I enjoy my coffee on my balcony facing the water and the sunrise while the birds are singing. It simply is truly magical!
I’m still waiting for this culture shock, but I guess that it just won’t happen, everything is too perfect for that! Nevertheless, yesterday, we went to mainland China to get a massage –what a massage- and experience the real shopping and bargaining. There I saw quite a difference! It’s not really that I had a culture shock, but simply that I didn’t feel really safe as opposed to Hong Kong where I feel at home and really safe.
Still, our day yesterday has been perfect! Our principal brought us for morning tea where we finally had the real Chinese breakfast, the same dishes as those we have for dinner! It was deeelicious! Then we went to mainland China, got our visas for 1 day and headed toward the market. Sorry for the language, but I was about to go nuts! Everything was so cheap! I bought a belt, a watch for my boyfriend and a 8Gb USB key for $15 in total!
Then we went for massage and there started the best day of my life! I might be exaggerating a little, but still, it was amazing. They provided us with clothes, sandwiches, melon, apples, tea and then we went for the two hour “crazy” massage. I had never had such a massage! I’m really sore this morning, but it felt really good. The girl was folding my legs over my head and… no okay maybe not this much but still, she’s been able to move my legs and my arms in positions that I wouldn’t even try to imagine being possible for my body! Then we had access to showers and saunas. All of this for about less than $25! I still can’t believe it! And finally, we went for dinner provided by Amy, an incredible teacher at our school. We ate duck, pork, rice, shrimp, and so much more! A little more shopping , to buy shoes for $1,51 and a pashmina scarf for about $7 and we headed home…at last! We were exhausted but had the greatest day!
All I can say by now is that today, teaching was hard after such a Sunday.
This is a simple example of the way that we are being treated here; everyday brings a new experience for all of us, ever y single one of them always being really enjoyable and fulfilling –we eat all the time!- So far, I just can’t believe that we are coming back in less than five weeks! I love Hong Kong and its people!
the view I have every morning when I wake up... the sun sis slowly rising on the picture...
I’m still waiting for this culture shock, but I guess that it just won’t happen, everything is too perfect for that! Nevertheless, yesterday, we went to mainland China to get a massage –what a massage- and experience the real shopping and bargaining. There I saw quite a difference! It’s not really that I had a culture shock, but simply that I didn’t feel really safe as opposed to Hong Kong where I feel at home and really safe.
At a university campus still in Hong Kong before going to China!
Still, our day yesterday has been perfect! Our principal brought us for morning tea where we finally had the real Chinese breakfast, the same dishes as those we have for dinner! It was deeelicious! Then we went to mainland China, got our visas for 1 day and headed toward the market. Sorry for the language, but I was about to go nuts! Everything was so cheap! I bought a belt, a watch for my boyfriend and a 8Gb USB key for $15 in total!
When we arrived in China
Then we went for massage and there started the best day of my life! I might be exaggerating a little, but still, it was amazing. They provided us with clothes, sandwiches, melon, apples, tea and then we went for the two hour “crazy” massage. I had never had such a massage! I’m really sore this morning, but it felt really good. The girl was folding my legs over my head and… no okay maybe not this much but still, she’s been able to move my legs and my arms in positions that I wouldn’t even try to imagine being possible for my body! Then we had access to showers and saunas. All of this for about less than $25! I still can’t believe it! And finally, we went for dinner provided by Amy, an incredible teacher at our school. We ate duck, pork, rice, shrimp, and so much more! A little more shopping , to buy shoes for $1,51 and a pashmina scarf for about $7 and we headed home…at last! We were exhausted but had the greatest day!
At the massage place.. don't we look like we're part of a sect or something like that? Sorry guys for the picture.. but I think that we look wonderful! :)
and the rest of the group with Michelle, the benefactor's niece. We had such a great time! Where's Juanita you might ask... HIDING FROM THE CAMERA! ;)
All I can say by now is that today, teaching was hard after such a Sunday.
This is a simple example of the way that we are being treated here; everyday brings a new experience for all of us, ever y single one of them always being really enjoyable and fulfilling –we eat all the time!- So far, I just can’t believe that we are coming back in less than five weeks! I love Hong Kong and its people!
Half way through!
Monday March 29th, 2010
Wow! What a weekend! And what an experience so far!
Everything is going so well and better than expected that I’m wondering when the down fall will happen. This is too good to be true. Everyone is super nice to us. We keep being invited for suppers and outings. And people are just so happy to do this for us. I can’t get over the generosity and the kindness people have here. Honestly! I’ve never been this nice to visitors who come and see me…
For example, just this week-end we, all eight of us, went to get massaged with Amy and Mr. Lee, our principal! Which principal do you know would take a bunch of foreigners to get massaged and shopping all day? Not many! And he brought us all for morning tea at 8 am. O.K. so here’s the deal with morning tea. The meal is just as big as at supper time! There was an abundance of food. And not regular morning food, it was basically the same as supper food, except we ordered desserts. And the restaurant gave us a whole bunch of extras on the house. It was just scrumptious! Ummmmmmm. Then we headed off to Shen Zen to get massaged. But first, pit stop at the market. Just super cheap everything. I went nuts! I bought so much stuff. At those prices you can’t go wrong. Then we went and got massaged. I received a two-hour long Chinese massage. The best part, is that half way through, another girl came in and gave me a facial/face massage. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so relaxed at once. It was the greatest massage experience of my life. And it was incredibly cheap. I just couldn’t ask for more, but of course there was a lot more to come, especially with Amy around. She invited us all for a traditional Chinese supper. We feasted off the delicious food. Then we did more shopping and, finally, we got home at 11pm! I must say I was pleased about returning to Hong Kong because China is really another world. People hassling you in the markets, literally begging you to buy something from them. The bathrooms were pretty dirty and the people drive on the other side of the road. It was really overcrowded and it had less charm than Hong Kong. I finally felt a bit of culture shock since I’ve been here. Hong Kong has been so welcoming that I don’t really feel that I’m on the other side of the world. Of course the language and the beat are different but the over all experience of living in this city has been so enjoyable that I don’t feel that I am that different from the others. That’s a good thing, right? I think I would actually be able to live here.
Ooof what a week-end! Monday mornings are tough, but this one is even tougher.
Oh and I might add that I went to Macau on Friday. So maybe that’s why it’s a bit rougher than usual! Haha! But everyone seems just as exhausted as I do. I have one word to say about Macau, golden! I couldn’t get over the Venetian hotel! Jeez. Can you imagine a hotel/mall that has a river flowing through it. Honestly, I never imagined that I could relive being in Venice without being there. There were gondolas and people dressed up like the old Venetian days. Just amazing!
So 5 weeks in and I’m still having a great time. I haven’t really felt homesick. Maybe that’s because I’ve never felt homesick when I travel. There’s so much more to come and only 4 weeks and 3 days to go. I can’t wait for this Thursday because I’m leaving for the Philippines. Boracay here I come! And then Guimaras here I come! Kim and I are going to have a blast and a half. That’s another thing, I am so fortunate to have an 11 day break in the middle of all of this. Can I ask for anything more? I’m so grateful for it all.
I hope everything is going well in Montreal. Can’t wait to hear how you are doing.
Lots of love
Vanessa
Wow! What a weekend! And what an experience so far!
Everything is going so well and better than expected that I’m wondering when the down fall will happen. This is too good to be true. Everyone is super nice to us. We keep being invited for suppers and outings. And people are just so happy to do this for us. I can’t get over the generosity and the kindness people have here. Honestly! I’ve never been this nice to visitors who come and see me…
For example, just this week-end we, all eight of us, went to get massaged with Amy and Mr. Lee, our principal! Which principal do you know would take a bunch of foreigners to get massaged and shopping all day? Not many! And he brought us all for morning tea at 8 am. O.K. so here’s the deal with morning tea. The meal is just as big as at supper time! There was an abundance of food. And not regular morning food, it was basically the same as supper food, except we ordered desserts. And the restaurant gave us a whole bunch of extras on the house. It was just scrumptious! Ummmmmmm. Then we headed off to Shen Zen to get massaged. But first, pit stop at the market. Just super cheap everything. I went nuts! I bought so much stuff. At those prices you can’t go wrong. Then we went and got massaged. I received a two-hour long Chinese massage. The best part, is that half way through, another girl came in and gave me a facial/face massage. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so relaxed at once. It was the greatest massage experience of my life. And it was incredibly cheap. I just couldn’t ask for more, but of course there was a lot more to come, especially with Amy around. She invited us all for a traditional Chinese supper. We feasted off the delicious food. Then we did more shopping and, finally, we got home at 11pm! I must say I was pleased about returning to Hong Kong because China is really another world. People hassling you in the markets, literally begging you to buy something from them. The bathrooms were pretty dirty and the people drive on the other side of the road. It was really overcrowded and it had less charm than Hong Kong. I finally felt a bit of culture shock since I’ve been here. Hong Kong has been so welcoming that I don’t really feel that I’m on the other side of the world. Of course the language and the beat are different but the over all experience of living in this city has been so enjoyable that I don’t feel that I am that different from the others. That’s a good thing, right? I think I would actually be able to live here.
Ooof what a week-end! Monday mornings are tough, but this one is even tougher.
Oh and I might add that I went to Macau on Friday. So maybe that’s why it’s a bit rougher than usual! Haha! But everyone seems just as exhausted as I do. I have one word to say about Macau, golden! I couldn’t get over the Venetian hotel! Jeez. Can you imagine a hotel/mall that has a river flowing through it. Honestly, I never imagined that I could relive being in Venice without being there. There were gondolas and people dressed up like the old Venetian days. Just amazing!
So 5 weeks in and I’m still having a great time. I haven’t really felt homesick. Maybe that’s because I’ve never felt homesick when I travel. There’s so much more to come and only 4 weeks and 3 days to go. I can’t wait for this Thursday because I’m leaving for the Philippines. Boracay here I come! And then Guimaras here I come! Kim and I are going to have a blast and a half. That’s another thing, I am so fortunate to have an 11 day break in the middle of all of this. Can I ask for anything more? I’m so grateful for it all.
I hope everything is going well in Montreal. Can’t wait to hear how you are doing.
Lots of love
Vanessa
Monday, March 8, 2010
Val : First Day of Teaching!
Today, I taught for the first time since I arrived In Hong Kong. It felt grrrreat! I am always nervous before teaching and then, once I get started, I remember how much I like it! I was relieved to see that my natural teaching methods work here. I usually act out my explanations as opposed to my cooperating teacher here who is a little cold in her teaching manners (culture difference.) At first, I was scared that the students would think that it was a party with me because I smile all the time and I seem to be playing with them, but it was the opposite, they were actually even more attentive than they usually are! I am really pleased with today’s lesson and I hope that it’ll stay like that for the whole time!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Russ: Week 2 (Observation Week)
This week was dedicated to observing our cooperating teachers and getting familiar with the flow of our new school. At this point in my degree, I thought I would be upset about having to do an observation week (I prefer to get my hands dirty), but it proved to be incredibly beneficial. There is a myriad of differences between Canadian and Chinese schools, some small and subtle, others incredibly jarring. I was happy to have the chance to become familiar with these disparities before diving into the deep end and teaching a class.
Discipline and homework are the most noticeable differences between Canada and Hong Kong. It's not uncommon to tell kids to stand up for 10 minutes or even an entire lesson if they are misbehaving. Furthermore, keeping kids in for recess seems to happen more often than not in some classes.
In terms of homework, I am responsible for assigning at least 3 pieces of homework after each English lesson. With all their other courses, some kids are responsible for doing anywhere from 9-15 pieces of homework per night. Sometimes these pieces are in the form of worksheets, sometimes simply reading or preparing a passage, other times they have to copy large passages of books. It seems weird at first, coming from an environment where homework is being phased out almost altogether, but I like it. The kids hold themselves accountable and the proof is in the pudding. The level of English is simply higher here, even if people back home would say that giving copious amounts of homework and getting them to copy passages are out-of-date methods.
My school
Also, the overall vibe of the lessons is different. Students stand up to respond, they don't complain when they're assigned homework (because it is a given), they say hello to the teacher in unison at the beginning of each lesson and thank them at the end. When the bell rings, students don't jump and head to the door. Instead, they wait until the teacher informs them that it is time to leave. While these things make it sound like some kind of like a military school (and in some ways, it is similar), the students and teachers still have fun. The kids play around, like to laugh, and really show a lot of genuine respect to their teachers.
There are 5 one-hour classes in the run of a day and I will be teaching 2-3 of these periods per day once things get into full swing. I have two groups, one of advanced grade 6s and another of regular grade 2s. It's great that in my one and only field experience in a primary school, I get to see such distant ends of the spectrum. With my grade 2 class, I will read stories, sing songs, and ask questions like "What colour is my shirt?" On the other hand, in my grade 6 class, I will develop units, teach grammar points, demand immaculate spelling and use of tense, etc. It will be an adjustment from my experience teaching grade 11, but I welcome the challenge.
This entry is mostly about the classroom environment. I have a lot to say about the students and their reaction to us foreigners, but I'll save that for next week.
As for sightseeing, this past Friday was FULL of it. In the morning, I had my first field trip experience as I accompanied my grade 2 class around Ocean Park, a theme/amusement park and animal reserve. We saw lots of fun things like pandas, jellyfish, and dolphins. In the afternoon, us Canadians were given the afternoon off to explore other parts of the park, go on rides, and just be tourists.
A jellyfish from Ocean Park
When that was all done, the internship coordinator's sister brought us around a variety of places in Hong Kong, including Stanley Market, The Jumbo Floating Restaurant, and The Peak. Of all these places, The Peak was the most impressive by a considerable amount. You basically drive up, up, up, and then up some more until you reach a very high point where you can look down on the entire city. Pictures and descriptions don't really do the experience justice. You're literally in the clouds and even gravity seems to be working differently. So far it's been my favourite part of the trip. It's something to see, for sure.
Well, I'll sign off for this week. I feel like I have so much to talk about, but I want to save some stuff for future entries!
Me at The Peak
Discipline and homework are the most noticeable differences between Canada and Hong Kong. It's not uncommon to tell kids to stand up for 10 minutes or even an entire lesson if they are misbehaving. Furthermore, keeping kids in for recess seems to happen more often than not in some classes.
In terms of homework, I am responsible for assigning at least 3 pieces of homework after each English lesson. With all their other courses, some kids are responsible for doing anywhere from 9-15 pieces of homework per night. Sometimes these pieces are in the form of worksheets, sometimes simply reading or preparing a passage, other times they have to copy large passages of books. It seems weird at first, coming from an environment where homework is being phased out almost altogether, but I like it. The kids hold themselves accountable and the proof is in the pudding. The level of English is simply higher here, even if people back home would say that giving copious amounts of homework and getting them to copy passages are out-of-date methods.
My schoolThere are 5 one-hour classes in the run of a day and I will be teaching 2-3 of these periods per day once things get into full swing. I have two groups, one of advanced grade 6s and another of regular grade 2s. It's great that in my one and only field experience in a primary school, I get to see such distant ends of the spectrum. With my grade 2 class, I will read stories, sing songs, and ask questions like "What colour is my shirt?" On the other hand, in my grade 6 class, I will develop units, teach grammar points, demand immaculate spelling and use of tense, etc. It will be an adjustment from my experience teaching grade 11, but I welcome the challenge.
Me and my grade 2s
This entry is mostly about the classroom environment. I have a lot to say about the students and their reaction to us foreigners, but I'll save that for next week.
As for sightseeing, this past Friday was FULL of it. In the morning, I had my first field trip experience as I accompanied my grade 2 class around Ocean Park, a theme/amusement park and animal reserve. We saw lots of fun things like pandas, jellyfish, and dolphins. In the afternoon, us Canadians were given the afternoon off to explore other parts of the park, go on rides, and just be tourists.
A jellyfish from Ocean ParkWhen that was all done, the internship coordinator's sister brought us around a variety of places in Hong Kong, including Stanley Market, The Jumbo Floating Restaurant, and The Peak. Of all these places, The Peak was the most impressive by a considerable amount. You basically drive up, up, up, and then up some more until you reach a very high point where you can look down on the entire city. Pictures and descriptions don't really do the experience justice. You're literally in the clouds and even gravity seems to be working differently. So far it's been my favourite part of the trip. It's something to see, for sure.
Well, I'll sign off for this week. I feel like I have so much to talk about, but I want to save some stuff for future entries!
Me at The PeakWednesday, March 3, 2010
Ame: Observation Week
Today is our third day of stage. We are mostly observing all week. I have to say that I understand why students tend to fall asleep in class; I found them boring too. My mind goes numb after sitting there for an hour and just listening. I have advance students in form 6 and one of them comes to see me every day during lunch. He asked me if I liked my CT's teaching style because he finds it really boring. I tried to answer without answering but he's a wise kid and told me that I hadn't answered his question. I finally said that we are not used to this style back home and that things will probably be different when I teach. With my form 6 I can try pretty much whatever I want. They have told us to use movies, songs, poems, TV shows, etc. We have a lot more flexibility in form 6 than in the other classes. With my form 4, I have to follow the book to prepare them for the Uniform Test that will take place after the Easter Holidays. I also have two periods (once a week) with the form 1 students. It was to fill-in our schedule because it seemed that we did not have enough lessons during the week. I think this will be the most challenging class because I don't see them often and also because they are the weaker students that I have. Their regular teacher spends half the class talking in Cantonese and no one seems to really listen. She just talks over them while they are either talking, day dreaming or just sleeping (the students here seem to want to sleep all the time!). I have no idea how that is going to work.
I think the part that will be the most fun is going to be the lunch and after school oral practice. Four times a week (twice during lunch and twice after school) we meet groups of form 2 and form 6 students to practice their oral skills. We can do whatever we want, as long as the students talk. There are students who also come during lunch whenever they feel like it but sometimes they just sit there and stare at us because they are too shy to talk.
I can't wait to start teaching but I am really nervous. My CT is really nice but I have a hard time getting information from her so it is hard to know what to do, where to start, what I can or can't do, etc. It is even worse with my form 1 teacher because I saw her right before class and that's it. So I don't know what I will do for the next class and I have seen her twice in the school (right before class and during class). Flexibility and adaptability you said, right?
Our office
I think the part that will be the most fun is going to be the lunch and after school oral practice. Four times a week (twice during lunch and twice after school) we meet groups of form 2 and form 6 students to practice their oral skills. We can do whatever we want, as long as the students talk. There are students who also come during lunch whenever they feel like it but sometimes they just sit there and stare at us because they are too shy to talk.
I can't wait to start teaching but I am really nervous. My CT is really nice but I have a hard time getting information from her so it is hard to know what to do, where to start, what I can or can't do, etc. It is even worse with my form 1 teacher because I saw her right before class and that's it. So I don't know what I will do for the next class and I have seen her twice in the school (right before class and during class). Flexibility and adaptability you said, right?
Kim: The Beginning of the Journey (We're HERE!)
I consider today to be the third day of this experience. Granted, we got here over a week ago; however, one can hardly expect that week to be representative of our Hong Kong experience.
Week 1: A Tourist in MY New Hometown.
So I arrived safe and sound in Hung Hom (minus a suitcase). I was exhausted from my trip and realizing that the sore throat I had on the plane (and did not declare to the Chinese authorities) was going to be more than just a short and unpleasant experience. In fact, a full-blown cold ensued over the next few days.
My new room!
I settled into my new room, which I have the luck of having to myself. The other two girls are sharing a room (with bunk beds). I offered to do a rotation if they felt the need to have their own space. Settling in didn't require too much effort seeing as the space is rather limited. Juanita and I went out to buy clothes hangers because they had not been made available to us in our dressers. I must say that the view from my room is quite beautiful at night. I can catch a glimpse of the "Lightshow Symphony" from Hong Kong Island.
My roomies are quite lovely! (No, I am not saying that just because they might be reading this.) Juanita has mothered me to an almost-recovery. Her medicine has allowed me to avoid the sinus infection and bronchitis that my mother has developed and apparently attempted to give me as an "au-revoir" token. Amelie has done everything that she possibly could to hook us up with wireless internet. (Side note: the school generously provided us with internet access through ONE USB stick... not too practical, but appreciated none-the-less. We went out and got ourself a D-Link, but even the school "techies" seem to believe the D-link is not working. We will see ...) Last but not least, Nigel provides us with plenty of entertainment.
Octopus Card
Using our octopus cards has been a daily occurrence. The school provided us with 400HKD on the cards (enough to cover our transportation to and from school for the duration of our experience). The cards, however, can be used for things other than public transit. McDonalds, 7Eleven, Wellcome grocery stores, are some of the locations where one can use the card to pay for purchases. I think it's a great system. However, it is important to highlight that the card does not provide us with unlimited access to public transit. When using the MTR (train or subway) you swipe your card to enter and as you exit, which calculates the distance travelled, as well as the fee that will be charged.
The students and staff welcomed us to the school on Thursday afternoon. They hosted a welcoming party in our honour. They even prepared a little "buffet" with rice (with egg, ham, shrimp, etc...), a fruit salad (with kiwi, apple, cucumber, tomato etc...) and, to Nigel's pleasant surprise, spaghetti. The students, of whom most were part of the student union, had plenty of questions for us. The first of which was generally: "Do you have a boyfriend?". It was lovely to have a chance to interact with the students before stepping into our role as (student-)teachers.
Our first weekend out on the town!
(Behind us:Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island)
Over the weekend, we met with the elementary group a few times. On Friday afternoon, Maureen had us over for some BBQ. Her home is in Mok Tse Che New Village. Wow! What a change of scenery: from high-rise buildings and busy streets to the rural areas of Hong Kong. It was lovely to get a chance to see another side of Hong Kong. On Saturday, the elementary crew came to our neck of the woods. We visited a bit of Kowloon and Hong Kong. We saw the big brand names in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) and ate lunch in the food court. They have a cool system where you order your food at the kiosk (much like at home) and then they give you a bill with your order. Then, you go to a "Pay" kiosk and return to the restaurant with the receipt and order. While we were at it we crossed Victoria Harbour aboard a Star Ferry to make our way to Hong Kong Island (Central). From there we watched the "Lightshow". After a few pictures and laughs, we all made our way home.
Week 2: The Grind
WOW! What a reality check! After a week of smooth-sailing, we had to put our be-hinds into gear and step up our game. The first day was nothing short of overwhelming for me. Indeed, stepping into the school as a teacher and going to observe my Form 2 class was interesting, but it was also scary. The students have been learning reported speech, which is all fine and well. However, the grammatical features involved are the focus of the learning. And let's face it, I have never taught grammar in my career. Surely, teaching grammar is like teaching any other aspect of literacy, but I have yet to figure out how to make it interactive or ... interesting. My CT took the time to see me after that first class. We sat down and zipped through the stack of textbooks that were piled on my desk a few hours before. She was talking so fast that I did not grasp everything she was expecting me to do, nor what she expected the students to have covered. She handed me a "Teaching Scheme", which is an outline of the topics that should be covered over the allotted period of time (one term). She hardly explained this scheme and left shortly after entering the door. Stunned, I sat staring at the materials for a little while. Then, I tried to take in the information I was given and attempted to plan the remainder of my week. I was unable to go ask her questions because she had a medical appointment (so my impression was correct, she was talking her way out of the door when she initially met me).
Day 2 was a bit of a stress-reliever. I was able to get a better idea of where the students are, what they had done and where they are heading. I have never taught from a textbook (or a multitude of them). Surely, structuring my teaching around material that I have to use is going to be a challenge for me. I know that there are means to go around complete adherance to the books, but I will have to tred with care. The parents are required to buy many books and complain to the school when the books are not being used.
These days are tiring me out. I get home (to Hung Hom) and within 20 minutes of eating a little something for supper, my head is hitting the pillow. It is a satisfactory kind of exhaustion though. I am tired because I am adapting to an environment on the other side of the planet (in relation to the place I generally call home) both within the school and outside of it. I know that I will be able to help students develop their English skills (listening, writing, and speaking) and that alone is worth being tired every night.
Until next time!
Kim
Monday, March 1, 2010
Van week 1
I'm having a GREAT time. This city is crazy big and crazy busy and crazy humid and crazy smoggy. There are full of markets and endless shopping centers everywhere. People are swarming in the streets and traffic is so hectic that crossing the street is probably the most complicated part of my day. lol.
It's just so different. Actually it's like a chinese New York but everything more ampliphied. The worse part of it is that I still haven't been to the city center yet. I've been on the north shore and I still haven't seen nearly half of it. Just this side of town is bursting with restaurants and shopping. Endless ....
It's really fun going into town but whenever we come back to where we're staying, we're really appreciative that it's in a village. We live 30 minutes away from it all by bus and metro. We're living in a 2 storey appartment at the top of a mountain by the bay. I see the water from my room. I share a room with Valerie. We share a bunk bed in a REALLLY small room. but it's fine. We have a balcony attached to our room so I often go chill out there.
Or the two guys have their own appartment/loft upstairs with a HUGE roof top terrasse. It's pretty awesome. we often chill together upstairs on the terrasse or at their table. So far we're getting along surprisingly well. I think we're going to have a good time working together.
oh ya! working.... so today was my first day at school. I love it. The kids are way more disciplined than in Quebec! It's crazy! Not even comparable. At the beginning of every lesson they stand up and bow to the teacher and say "good morning miss Pacitti".
The kids love us. And they're soooooooo adorable. They speak English very well. They're more advanced than the Quebec kids. My cooperating teachers have a very similar teaching style as me. They're funny and the kids love them.
THe hostess/supervisor, Maureen, is so easy going. She's really nice, laughs at all of our jokes, relaxed and honest. HEr husband too. THey have a maid to do all of our meals, cleaning and clothes washing. It's like heaven. All of our meals are provided, except on the weekends, which is perfect cause we're downtown anyways.ok so there's many other messages to come. I hope you enjoy them.
It's just so different. Actually it's like a chinese New York but everything more ampliphied. The worse part of it is that I still haven't been to the city center yet. I've been on the north shore and I still haven't seen nearly half of it. Just this side of town is bursting with restaurants and shopping. Endless ....
It's really fun going into town but whenever we come back to where we're staying, we're really appreciative that it's in a village. We live 30 minutes away from it all by bus and metro. We're living in a 2 storey appartment at the top of a mountain by the bay. I see the water from my room. I share a room with Valerie. We share a bunk bed in a REALLLY small room. but it's fine. We have a balcony attached to our room so I often go chill out there.
Or the two guys have their own appartment/loft upstairs with a HUGE roof top terrasse. It's pretty awesome. we often chill together upstairs on the terrasse or at their table. So far we're getting along surprisingly well. I think we're going to have a good time working together.
oh ya! working.... so today was my first day at school. I love it. The kids are way more disciplined than in Quebec! It's crazy! Not even comparable. At the beginning of every lesson they stand up and bow to the teacher and say "good morning miss Pacitti".
The kids love us. And they're soooooooo adorable. They speak English very well. They're more advanced than the Quebec kids. My cooperating teachers have a very similar teaching style as me. They're funny and the kids love them.
THe hostess/supervisor, Maureen, is so easy going. She's really nice, laughs at all of our jokes, relaxed and honest. HEr husband too. THey have a maid to do all of our meals, cleaning and clothes washing. It's like heaven. All of our meals are provided, except on the weekends, which is perfect cause we're downtown anyways.ok so there's many other messages to come. I hope you enjoy them.
Val: wow! What a week!
Wow! What a week!
This week, I have felt as being on a rollercoaster ride: one hour I overly excited and the next hour, I felt far from home and exhausted. I have felt this way for about three days because of a lack of sleep and also because I wouldn’t eat much; in fact, it was a real vicious cycle for me: too tired to eat and too hungry to sleep. Of course, I’ve had ups and downs throughout the week because of this vicious cycle. Finally, they have lost my two suitcases, so I spent the first two days without having any belongings, which didn’t help me to adapt to this new environment.
This is all I had to live for the first few days!
(not the suitcase.. it is Vanessa's)
On the other hand, after I received my suitcases, I have been able to unpack and make myself much more at home than I did when I arrived.
Making myself at home!
Since then, the days have been really interesting and my health, much better! Because of this, we have been able to visit several places in Kowloon and I have loved every place we went to during the past week!
Ladies Market
Today was our first complete day of school, which went really well! We were supposed to teach the stronger students first and then get to teach the weaker students, but I will be teaching the weaker students first and then the stronger ones and I am really happy that it turned out to be that way! In fact, I think that it is more challenging for me and I love challenges so I am really pleased with this!
The major difference between the levels I have is that my weaker students don’t usually answer, because they are too shy and believe that their English isn’t good enough to answer whereas the students at the higher level are a little more spontaneous and are good in spoken English so they are not shy to answer our questions.
I’m glad to have two very different levels to teach because I will learn two very different ways of teaching!
Briefly, I am surrounded by wonderful people, I eat really well, and I love Hong Kong!
So far so good... really good!
Valérie
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)