Lesley with Class 122
Two of our Grade 3 students attended the Team Leader-Trainer training course closing meeting last term, with some of their middle school students. They had completed their teaching practice at this school and found that the students responded well to their communicative methods and student-centred approaches. They shared their experiences with the Team Leader-Trainers and I promised to visit the school to meet their classmates. I finally made it yesterday and Sue came too.
Although we were all piled into the classroom for a 'meet and greet' session, it was fairly informal. We introduced ourselves, showed photos, asked and answered questions and generally got a feel for the teaching and learning environment. As usual, the children were lively and excited in the playground, but instantly settled into a fairly passive classroom mode once inside. Fortunately there were a few noisy, energetic children who couldn't contain their excitement and kept the momentum going. It's always easy to pick out the students that the teachers normally rely on to answer questions. They are the first to call out, put their hands up and come to the blackboard. What's more, the other students usually look at them, waiting for them to answer. It was a shock to some of the students not to be ignored, especially some of the boys at the back who, I sense, are used to being spectators.
Nevertheless, the children did really well. They were attentive and tried hard to understand and follow our short activities. While some of the students didn't understand what was going on at times, there were absolutely no discipline problems. I'm not sure if the same would be true if a Chinese visitor confused and perplexed a group of British teenagers mid-afternoon.
Although we were all piled into the classroom for a 'meet and greet' session, it was fairly informal. We introduced ourselves, showed photos, asked and answered questions and generally got a feel for the teaching and learning environment. As usual, the children were lively and excited in the playground, but instantly settled into a fairly passive classroom mode once inside. Fortunately there were a few noisy, energetic children who couldn't contain their excitement and kept the momentum going. It's always easy to pick out the students that the teachers normally rely on to answer questions. They are the first to call out, put their hands up and come to the blackboard. What's more, the other students usually look at them, waiting for them to answer. It was a shock to some of the students not to be ignored, especially some of the boys at the back who, I sense, are used to being spectators.
Nevertheless, the children did really well. They were attentive and tried hard to understand and follow our short activities. While some of the students didn't understand what was going on at times, there were absolutely no discipline problems. I'm not sure if the same would be true if a Chinese visitor confused and perplexed a group of British teenagers mid-afternoon.
Sue and I were asked students to sign autographs for the students. The first time students asked me to sign my name I felt really uncomfortable, a feeling Sue also expressed yesterday. I still think it strange that my name should be so special or valuable to them. It's a humbling experience. I don't feel so uncomfortable now but still embarassed that they should think me so important. I know, however, that the students appreciate the gesture. I usually add a happy face or words of encouragement, to make the scribble a bit more meaningful.
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