As the one month mark approaches, I've decided it may be time for an elaboration on day to day teaching at Xiaolan Ming De International School.
This morning started out with a none too graceful tumble down the stairs in our apartment. Instead of just a minor slip, I somehow managed to land on the top of my left foot, which has been crying in protest all day. Hoping it's not a sprain. I'm not sure how to tell if it is a sprain, as I've remained improbably uninjured throughout my entire life.
This morning marked my first day running the drama class. There are seven rotations, and the last three weeks I've done gym class, which is universally agreed upon to be the worst rotation. It tends to be difficult simultaneously keeping the kids' attention, regulating a physical activity, and wresting some English from their stubborn little voice boxes. Needless to say, I'm relieved to be done with that station for a while.
The colorful schedule of our teaching day. |
Inspired by the realization of my ignorance concerning the names of animals in Chinese, I decided to broaden the kids' animal vocabulary through the perturbing classic, "There Once was a Lady Who Swallowed a Fly". Last night was spent making feeble attempts at drawing cartoon animals and creating one of the creepiest paper old ladies in the history of paper old ladies. Results can be seen below.
Just try to ignore my poor feline's legs. |
The guy was my favorite. I call him, "Le Penseur Chevale". |
My apologies to Grandmothers everywhere. |
During the first rotation and just after Mrs. Carnivore swallowed the cat (imagine that- to swallow a cat!), my attention was drawn to a huge Daddy Longlegs on the wall by two students yelling, "Teachah! Spidah!". The thing was freaky. After the rotation ended, I enlisted Jessica's help in capturing the critter and entrapping him in a clear Tupperware. Throughout the rest of the day, I held the kids spellbound by bringing out the spider and asking "Do you like to eat spiders?", to which they thankfully responded, "No Teachah! No like spidahs!" Hey, if the thing decided to haunt children's classrooms, the least I could do was subject him to the violent enthrallment of kindergarteners.
The wonderful addition to our object lesson. He's a little dazed and difficult to see in the picture. |
After a day of being able to sit down at a table, and thus increasing my kids' participation and attention span, I have come to the conclusion that the next three months will be much more enjoyable than the last three weeks.
A preview of some Chinese child adorableness; more pictures to come.
This is Jimmy. He's normally a bit more animated. I have some doubts as to his affection for me. |
Chloe (front) and Lucia (dopey looking girl in the back). The first day Chloe duped me into thinking she was shy. Not so. |