Stalls Without Doors - and Other Teaching Adventures

I have to chuckle as I’m reading some of the essays my culture students gave me. The essay question was: “If you were to move to the United States, what are some of the things that might cause you to experience culture shock?” I assigned this question after my first class, where I talked about culture in general and introduced the concept of culture shock. This is a precursor to getting into the cultures and societies of English-speaking countries.

Well… apparently Americans are a bunch of hamburger/junk food/bread/cheese eating, fast walking/talking people who spend all their money and are obsessed with kissing each other on the face. Hmm. Am I prepared for this strange people when I start my MBA in the fall? It seems that stereotypes have become assumptions for many of my students. While obviously there is truth in those statements, I don't like reading, "Americans only eat junk food." It makes me want to protest that many Americans (and Canadians) are obsessed with healthy eating and that white rice and dumplings have next to no nutritional value. Hopefully my students will have a more well-rounded perspective once our U.S. module is completed.

I finally did start teaching and have been teaching now for two weeks. I have to say that I’m really enjoying it – even more than I expected. I like the role of teacher. I like knowing that what I do in these next few months could have a big impact on their learning and even self-image. As expected, the hardest part of teaching at a Chinese university class isn’t hushing disrespectful students – it’s getting them to speak up! With the exception of a few brave souls who sit at the front of the class, they’re very shy and reluctant to venture an answer out loud. I’ve discovered, however, that if you make something a contest, it’s game on! The other day I had a competition to test their knowledge of American history. I divided the class down the middle and had them pick team names. One class got so into it, I had to remind them it was just a game. Mystery of China’s Olympic prowess solved? (With help, of course, from a massive talent pool.)

Thankfully, almost all my students have taken English names for the classes they have with foreign teachers. That certainly makes my life easier, though I wonder how I’d feel if I was asked to pick a new name because someone can’t pronounce mine. I think I’d be a bit pissed and would be tempted to say, “Then learn how to pronounce it!” Anyway…. My Chinese is still so poor that no doubt the class would erupt in giggles if I had to call the role in Chinese. Most of them have chosen real English names, but amongst the Anns, Jennys and Carols, I have a Sand Glass, Monkey, Heaven, Angel, Elf and – my favourite – Cool Fire (nice use of an oxymoron). I even had a Christ, but I convinced him to drop just one letter and make it Chris. A few students sound like they could be the children of celebrities (Coco and Apple). I gently encouraged those without real names to consider adopting a proper moniker, especially amongst my Business English majors. I explained that if any of them go on to work for an international company, they may find it difficult to be taken seriously.

At the same time that I’m enjoying teaching, I’m finding the teaching conditions quite spartan. In China, the Yangtze River basically defines who gets heat. Communities below the Yangtze, like Changzhou, have to do without, although the temperature can drop to freezing in the winter. Changzhou is also fairly close to the coast, and there have been days I’ve felt a distinct wind chill and been reminded of home. Of course, there are exceptions to the “no heat” rule. The hotel I’m living in has heat – thank God. But the other teachers weren’t kidding when they said that the hotel is one of the few buildings on campus with heat. So far, I’ve been teaching bundled up in my coat. I’m getting used to always having my coat on, even in restaurants (again, more upscale restaurants would have heat, but that’s not what you find in the University area). I don’t mind it because I know that after class I can relax in my lovely heated apartment. My students live in unheated dorms. I can’t imagine showering in those conditions. Hopefully, spring comes soon to southeast China.

Speaking of the conditions my students have to deal with… the bathroom facilities on campus are not the greatest. I’ve made a mental note not to drink too much water before going to class (as I was practically born with a glass of water in my hand, that’s been an adjustment!). On my first day, I asked a student to show me to the washroom. It didn’t bode well when she said, “I don’t think you will like this place.” Yeah, you could say that. The lack of western toilets no longer phases me – but the lack of doors on the stalls did. I want to get to know my students, but, um.... not that well. Of course, I turned and walked right back out, even as some of my students had followed me in and were busy unbuttoning their pants. I couldn’t help but think, “These are grown women.” I’m teaching at a University, not a pre-school. Certain bodily functions came to mind, and I wonder how they deal with that. The complete lack of privacy astonished me. But I guess if that’s what you grew up with, it’s no big deal.

English Corner is another part of being an ESL teacher in China. On Thursday nights, the foreign teachers gather at a building they call “Titanic” (because of its shape, I think). Students gather around and have the opportunity to use their English skills to talk with a native speaker. I had to miss the first English Corner as I was preparing for Beijing, but went to my first last week. At first I felt kind of awkward having a bunch of Chinese students gathered around me, all looking at me expectedly. But eventually I warmed up and we had a good group conversation going. I was happy to see it wasn’t all about me talking at them. Most of them weren’t my students, but I’m going to assume that in class they’d be very quiet, like my own students. English Corner is very informal, so the atmosphere is right for free-flowing conversation. Towards the end of English Corner, one of my own classes showed up and gathered around me. I felt like some kind of celebrity. Hilariously, they started helping me with my Chinese. When I said “Zai Jian” (good-bye) to them at the end, I was met with a resounding “BYE!”

I will post teaching photos soon!