Radical Eclecticity

Over the past two days, I have visited two schools and taught guest lessons at both of them. This was an interesting and highly educational experience, and both schools were very different. We went to both schools to coordinate first, and then I came back later to teach the lesson.

The first thing I noticed, in both cases, was the awe with which the students received me. It was actually kind of cool. It made me feel a bit like a celebrity. As I walked through, the students would pause what they were doing and stare at me. It wasn’t rude or with gaping mouths or anything, it was just an acknowledgement of my… unusualness. Many times they would give sidelong glances, or try to appear as if they were not staring, or whisper to their friends and giggle. It was kind of entertaining.

Of course, I’m sure the students didn’t consciously think that I would understand what they said, so I overheard lots of comments that they made to classmates, like, “那么高!” (na me gao = so tall) or “外国人!” (wai guo ren = foreigner (literally, “person from outside the country”). In a country as ethnically diverse as the US, seeing someone different is not really a big deal at all. In China, although it is a very ethnically diverse country, all of those ethnicities are Asian. It is very rare to see people who are white, black, or Middle Eastern here, so I tend to be quite noticeable.

The lessons themselves were very interesting. The students here seem very eager to participate. I didn’t need to use any advanced classroom management techniques to entice them to engage in the activities or to volunteer. I did notice, though, that they were very accustomed to choral response. If there were words on my Powerpoint, and it wasn’t immediately clear what I wanted them to do, the class read the words aloud together.

At the first school, I felt a bit like a rockstar, though it was both surprising and a bit overwhelming. After class, one of the girls came up and asked me if I could write my name. I thought she wanted to see it in writing so that she knew how to spell it, so I started writing for her. Well, apparently, she wanted an autograph, and once it was apparent that I was willing to give them, I instantly had 45 little hands with 45 pieces of paper thrust at me and heard 45 very excited voices calling for a signature all at once. For someone who tends to get claustrophobic with crowds, it was a bit overwhelming.

At the second school, the class seemed a bit less dynamic. I didn’t launch the lesson with the same level of energy, and the class itself seemed a bit more subdued. That could be why, when I met with the teachers afterward and asked for suggestions, I was told that I could make my lessons more interesting. Granted, I agree with her input, but I was looking for suggestions on how to do that. The students in this area have a very different background of experience from the students that I usually work with. I wanted to know what they would find interesting. I did get a few good ideas from her, though.

All told, it was a great experience. I look forward to more learning experiences. It’s been less than a week, and I already have had enough experiences to remember and stories to tell for many years to come. Up next, coming to a blog near you, “choosing English names.”