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here, even if people back home would say that giving copious amounts of homework and getting them to copy passages are out-of-date methods.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.

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 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