Life here in Beijing is going quite well. I’m coming up on the 1 month mark of being back in Beijing. My class schedule is pretty set by now except the probable addition of a drama elective for Senior 2 students (11 grade). I love my students, I really can’t say it enough. They are all such good kids. Office hours this year have been packed, last year I felt like it was pulling teeth to get kids in there at the begininng of the year, now we are busting at the seams almost everytime we are open. Which is great, because office hours is where we are able to have great one on one conversations with students, as well as play a million games of UNO. I am excited for the opportunity to meet so many more new students.
With my schedule this year I have a couple of days off, which I have been able to use to spend time with students. I ate lunch with one of my favorite girls the other day and it was great to catch up with her about her summer and listen as she told me some of the things that made her worried. And to hear her take on being in 8th grade and all the stress and emotions that go into being in Junior School. I love hearing about how students relate to others, who their friends are, who they don’t like, what is going on in the classrooms. I don’t get to see that when I am teaching, all I see then is the academic side of them.
My classes this year have seemed incredably sweet and more often than not I am surrounded by students after class asking me questions. They range from “Are you married?” to “Do you prefer your hair being short or long?” to discussions about Canadian vs. American Higher Education. I have recently stopped being surprised at the things that come out of kids mouths, although sometimes they are more funny than others. Here are some quotes from students recently:
“I am hilarious that you are my teacher.” -7th grade student
“Physics teacher has upside down hair.” -10th grade student (meaning he is bald with a beard)
Oh and this wasn’t a quote but a funny story. Earlier this week I was waiting for a student I had lunch plans with. Tons of students were streaming past me on their way to one of the cafeterias on campus. Walking up to me I saw one of my students from last year. Now this kid doesn’t know a lick of English. Even after all my efforts last year. By the end of the year I had a standing date with him on Tuesday nights to help him learn English, but he never showed. I even had a student write him a note in Chinese in an attempt to get him there so I could help him-to no avail. However this day when he saw me his face lit up. And he exclaimed “TEACHER!” and ran toward me. I was surprised as he threw his arms around me and gave me a big hug. I then said hello and asked him how he was doing. To which he looked confused and made a motion towards his mouth and said the word “EAT.” So I wasn’t able to teach him any English, but I must have made some sort of impression on his life. Which is more than I could ask for really…
