Plans for the first official day

Lots of activity over the past few days.  The teachers/students started arriving on campus Saturday morning.  Since then, we have been involved with large group orientation and individual interviews.  We received training in how to ascertain their language proficiency so they may be placed in the proper class.  This is tough to do with only three minutes.  Many of them lack the confidence so don't really show their true level.  

It was very humbling to visit with these teachers.  Their fervent desire is to improve their English speaking ability.  Some have traveled over 80 hours to get here!!!  They are giving up 21 days of life back home to dedicate themselves to this goal.  Some of them are here under duress.  One lady shared her job is in jeopardy if she doesn't improve.  She began crying and it was tough to minister to her as she was quite upset.

Their English names are amusing.  Some of them have had English names since they were small children in their first English classes.  Others have just recently taken on their English name.  There are lots of Sunnys, Mays, Marys....then we have Easy, Swing, Wisdom King (my personal favorite!), Green, Greener, Swift (she likes fast animals), Me....to name a few.

I ditched the canned questions and went for questions about their teaching and families.  We were to ask them about a dream vacation.  90% of the students answered "France, because it is romantic" or "America, so I can improve my English."  I think they were given a list of potential questions and they all prepped together!  Most of the teachers love teaching, a few said they only liked teaching "so-so."  Their favorite part about teaching is impacting the students for the future.  Their least favorite is dealing with naughty students.  Sound familiar anyone??

Their orientation schedule looks like this:  Arrival night, 7- 9; Morning 8:00 - 12:00; Afternoon 2:00 - 4:30.  Whew!  I sat in with my group and was amazed.  Their TIP student book was gone over in excruiating detail having most of it read aloud to them or the entire group reading in unison.  Oh, sometimes they mixed it up by having the ladies read a paragraph, then the gentlemen.  There are just so many details and regulations.  And it is the Chinese way of teaching.  Lots of group recitation.  Our teachers would mutiny if they had to sit for hours reading from a manual!

Tomorrow begins the official first day with 1000 people going to their various classes.  My day will look like this:

8-10:  Large group   Morning Exercises, Motivational Moment (MoMo), Diction Lessons

10-12:  Off for  lesson planning, working individually with students, helping other teachers

12:10 - 12:50:  Lunch in the classroom with students

2:10 - 3:00  Clubs--Attributes (like a mini-character ed class)  Large group 225+

4:00-5:30:  Famous Speeches and Fairy Tales, large group 225+

5:40-6:20:  Dinner in classroom with students

Evening responsibilities:  Supervise the reading room or dorm visits until 8:15

Whew!