all the little children

... learning to use chopsticks...

Class by day and teaching by night, I have a [verbal contract] with the 2nd Ballistic [Division] Elementary (二炮幼儿园) in the Shangdi district of Beijing. It was three months before I was able to correctly translate -and understand- what kind of school that I was employed at, though in actuality, it is just another typical elementary school. These preschoolers are the enrolled children of military comrades, and as such, will attend the same schools together as they get older.

... what's the time?

So, how exactly does a foreigner walk through the gates of an elementary school on a military [base] in beijing? On two feet. Over the last 6 months, I have walked casually through the gates without so much as a second glance. On one occasion, the guard stopped me and asked if I was with foreign affairs, and I said yes - understanding his words to be foreign teaching, a homonym. He relaxed and let me pass through. But generally, the guards are huddled around a tv or dining on instant noodles, and therefore less concerned with [me].

Last week, this ease came to an end, and the guard (all of 17 years of age?) stopped me on the grounds that I must have someone [on the inside] come to the gates to receive me. After 6mo, why the sudden change in rules? No change, he said, just that now they have to tighten up enforcement. As it turns out, his leader had called the front gate and asked what the foreigner "was doing here." I had been observed walking through the gates unaccompanied (as usual), and the guard had caught the brunt of his leader's disapproval.

Tonight, however, I was once again able to walk through the gates once again without so much as a single green uniform in sight (and I looked around!) So much for the enjoyable small talk that last week had afforded me with the seemingly ominous check-point.

Time willing, I actually enjoy these sort of unexplainable [yet typical] events (or absence thereof). Delays in the daily routine provide a great opportunity to interact with the common people, learn some spoken Mandarin, as well as diffuse any seemingly potential conflict with a bit of laughter. Using a bit of logic and facetiousness wit, our dialogue had a third guard chuckling, at ease. And secretly, I was honored to have set off such alarms with my mere presence.

The children's ages range from 4-6 years old, and while it is a wide range at this young age, the students work very nicely together. Usually. The younger ones tend take a couple weeks longer to part from mom and dad and adjust to new classmates and foreign teacher.

...if only mom and dad were here...

On the first day of teaching, I showed up early and was able to share a few minutes with the kids before order settled. With perplexed faces, they peered at me, their *funny-looking* teacher that can speak Chinese and asked "Are you Chinese?" If I was foreign, how was it that I could speak Chinese? Using this logic, a few of them decided that I must be Chinese, albeit funny-looking with big nose and big eyes.

Class begins at 5:45p sharp (but not always), and we begin with a quick review of the last class' vocabulary, followed by a song. Favorites are "the farmer in the dell", and "hello, hello, hello" and "10 little fingers":

... not the words that I learned to the song...

Common topics include fruit, colors, numbers, time - vocabulary and a few question/answer pairs. The children are incredibly bright and [when I can get their attention], the class operates in unison. Though I worked at a daycare in the US 7 years ago, I am at a loss for how a typical preschool class in America is run [comments welcomed...]

It does seem that schools are adapting as technology progresses, and the below clip was the result of a homework assignment for the parents and children alike. The students were to recite a chant, and the parents were to record their efforts. Here is a top student:

a song by Zhang Yuanzhi

While I teach the class, it is simply that I follow the lesson plans prepared by the head teacher. She prepares the vocabulary, practice sentences, chants, and songs on a piece of paper (and occasionally powerpoint!)

today's lesson: animals

The hour is divided up into song time, learning time, and game time. I take these ideas and find [hopefully creative] ways to keep the children's attention focused on the lesson. Even with just 20-22 kids, it can be a challenge.

The students have a long day... starting at 7:30a and finishing up their regular classes at 5:30p, which includes a 2 hour nap at lunchtime. By the time the students wind up for my class, they would probably rather be winding down.

...winding down over homemade chocolate chip cookies!

The parents pay an extra fee for the children to attend this class, and it is not cheap (as it supports the head teacher, her assistant, and myself.) The reason for having a foreign teacher is perhaps twofold: 1) English is taught with an authentic [foreign] accent, and 2) western teaching methods can often be quite insightful. More so, it is a key draw for the parents, who are willing to pay more for a foreign teacher's instruction. And so, at least for now, the students are exposed to an American English accent [of sorts].

When I enter the classroom, I am greeted by screaming and the frequent shooting by the finger-pistol. The head teacher says it is "because they like" me. Today, she gave me a hug and suggested they try an alternate greeting, which sent them scrambling under their tables. Teaching English has its challenging days, but every class is a delight.