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Putting theory into Teaching Practice

28/2/2011

Yesterday saw the Lattitude volunteers doing their Teaching Practice. The first half of the training course leads up to this, with practical sessions on Lesson Planning, Games, Using Visual Aids, Speaking, Presentation, etc. And they did really well. The regular teachers - whose classes they took over for an hour - had nothing but praise for the trainees: well-prepared, confident and full of great ideas. We still have three days of training to go, covering Songs, Correcting Mistakes, Listening, and Reading as well as some "background" subjects such as Chinese Culture, Extra-Curricular Activities and Living and Working in China.

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The deep end

26/2/2011

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After surviving a nasty sickness bug (a third of our trainees were in their hotel rooms vomitting, at one point!), we were back to full numbers today, and tomorrow sees them doing their Teaching Practice at our school. The Chinese language course is proving popular, too. The photo shows the beginner students on a field trip. Having learned how to ask for things in the classroom, we take them to a shop and let them try for real! The shopkeepers have seen it all before and try their best to understand the mangled requests!

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Training

24/2/2011

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The Lattitude training course I'm running these days is going well. I have this afternoon off, while they go sightseeing at the Golden Temple. It's a welcome break for me as the other two teachers who were doing some of the training with me have both had to pull out. Plus, I'm trying to fit in my normal school classes with kids at the same time, as far as possible. It helps that this intake are a particularly punctual, lively and thoughtful bunch. I do enjoy training (even more than teaching, and there is a difference!). There's still ¾ of the course to go, but so far, so good!

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Unlucky for some

22/2/2011

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With the number of volunteers from Britain, Australia and Canada on the latest Lattitude training numbering 13, we should have expected some bad luck. So it was that I waited for 2 hours at the airport yesterday and a further 2 hours at the hotel for the first volunteer to arrive, only to find out later that he had been detained in Beijing. The customs officers thought the bicycle pump he was carrying in hand luggage looked suspiciously like a pipe bomb! He missed his connection to Kunming and finally arrived 7 hours late! The remaining 12 volunteers arrived this afternoon, a mere 2 hours late. They seem a great bunch - lively despite their looong journeys here! The course starts tomorrow.

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Now you see him...

21/2/2011

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Seen this Chinese artist before? Probably not, as Liu Bolin's work involves him standing in front of sommething and then being painted exactly the same as the background, so that you can barely see him! Can you spot him in the four pictures above? Pretty cool, eh?

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Win-ternet

20/2/2011

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After a mediochre season, it was exciting to see my favourite team Everton beat Chelsea in the FA Cup yesterday evening (my time). I say "see", but it consisted of watching text updates every minute online! Still, we came from behind with a last second goal to equalise, and then came from behind in the penatly shoot-out too, to win. Still quite exciting!

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A bit fishy

19/2/2011

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The highlight (for me) of the always-dull Spring Festival Gala Show on Chinese New Year's Eve - the most watched annual TV show in the world - was a Chinese magician who made six goldfish swim in synchronised patterns. But there's been a bit of controversy since, with animal rights groups assuming he must have force-fed the fish with magnets and controlled them from underneath. The magician has hit back, saying that any magnets in the fish would have simply pulled them all together into a big fishy ball (I'd pay to see that)! Well, however he did it, it's rare to see a unique magic trick these days, so good on him for thinking it up. And if you're going to abuse animals for entertainment, he chose the right country to debut his performance!

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Stop wining

17/2/2011

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Spotted in a shop recently: Are they going for "WINE" or "MINERAL"?

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Flat tyre en route to the flat, tired

15/2/2011

There were a few hiccups in yesterday's Valentine's Day, including a flat tyre (and the discovery that Jiajia's car didn't have a spare wheel in the boot). After some shopping for food and treats though, we did manage to rustle up a rather tasty "Chicken & Broccoli Bake" based on a recipe my Mum sent out a while ago [see photo]. My holiday comes to an end today, with the first classes of the new term starting this evening.

Meet and meat

14/2/2011

The new term started yesterday with a whole school meeting [see photo, left]. I had to do a little talk about the upcoming Lattitude training course. It was also announced that I have been "promoted", with a new job title of "Director of Studies". It doesn't mean any different or extra work really, but I can now tell the administration staff what to do instead of just asking! Power!! Afterwards, we all went to a posh Muslim restaurant [see photo, right]. Having lamb for a change was a real treat.

Halo halo!

13/2/2011

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Seen in a shoe shop window. I'm sure the Chinese makes more sense.

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Scrabble rabble

12/2/2011

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I had a fun time this evening, visiting the house of Peter and Monique [left in photo], teachers at my school, for a Scrabble evening with half a dozen other of their other foreign friends (from Germany, Israel, Britain, America, Holland and Australia!). As someone who doesn't often mix with foreigners in Kunming (apart from work colleagues) it was refreshing to meet some new folk. Modesty forbids me commenting on who won all the games!

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Glasses and classes

11/2/2011

I took possession of a new pair of glasses today. Quite a different design for me to get used to, but Jiajia assures me they are fashionable. They are lightweight, which helps a lot, though the arms curving up, away from the ears, at the back instead of tucking behind the ears, will take some getting used to! They were a rather expensive early Valentines gift from Jiajia. I think I'd better upgrade my soft toy gift!

A busy month starts next week with catch-up classes, Lattitude training and my parents visiting. I'll need a clear vision for that lot!

Lifts, lamb chops and cheesecake

10/2/2011

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Ava and I got an invite to Robert and Rachel's (my bosses) new house today, where Rob's British parents are also visiting at the moment. And what a mansion it is, freshly decorated and occupying no fewer than SIX floors! It even has a private, internal lift! The picture shows the view from the second floor balcony, overlooking the enormous first floor living room [Ava left, Rob's Mum, right]. Four en suite bedrooms above and a roof conservatory above that! Rachel cooked a lovely lamb chop meal followed by a scrummy cheesecake. The Brits then chatted so fast in English, poor Ava got a real taste of what she's in for when she visits the UK later in the year!

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Faikea

9/2/2011

Jiajia and I spent an hour today (it seemed longer) at Kunming's fake Ikea store! We were looking for wardrobes for when I move into Ava's flat later in the year. Ava was very methodical - measuring the height, width and depth of all the likely contenders and ensuring the colour schemes coordinated well. My role was just to open the doors and check the storage space! Prices were at western levels but the quality seemed quite good and they deliver and fit them. So now we're saving our pennies!

<<Previous

Putting theory into Teaching Practice

The deep end

Training

Unlucky for some

Now you see him...

Win-ternet

A bit fishy

Stop wining

Flat tyre en route to the flat, tired

Meet and meat

Halo halo!

Scrabble rabble

Glasses and classes

Lifts, lamb chops and cheesecake

Faikea

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