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- Best class ever: democracy September 18, 2007
- YuYao September 4, 2007
- Quantum aliens and gifted kids August 3, 2007
- Again, the summer school August 3, 2007
- Summer school July 21, 2007
- Breeding for mediocrity July 7, 2007
- Chinese dentistry June 19, 2007
- Chinese influenza and medicines June 12, 2007
- Critical thinking, “inappropriate for university students” May 25, 2007
- More bureaucracy May 23, 2007
- Legend and Arissa May 7, 2007
- Shanghai Museum of Natural History April 19, 2007
- Cooking segments April 7, 2007
- Fertile ground March 27, 2007
- Chinese superstitions March 4, 2007
- Beijing 3, The Great Wall of China March 3, 2007
- Beijing 2 February 22, 2007
- Beijing 1 February 16, 2007
- Frankenstein scar January 10, 2007
- Feng Shui management October 19, 2006
- Only English October 18, 2006
- Shanghai commuter trains 2 October 13, 2006
- Shanghai’s commuter trains 1 October 3, 2006
- Zheng He and Malacca September 7, 2006
- Banks August 12, 2006
- More visa crap August 12, 2006
- More around home July 21, 2006
- Home at Cloud Nine July 21, 2006
- Geography and another summer July 21, 2006
- Teaching futility June 30, 2006
- Huang Shan 2 May 25, 2006
- Huang Shan 1 May 21, 2006
- Longre April 29, 2006
- Nanjing April 9, 2006
- Be among women March 29, 2006
- Xi’an 4, museum March 16, 2006
- Xi’an 3 March 16, 2006
- Xi’an 2, Chinese archaelogy March 8, 2006
- Xi’an 1, terracotta warriors March 7, 2006
- Not booking flights February 18, 2006
- Another Chinese New Year February 17, 2006
- Zhongshan Park 3 January 30, 2006
- Zhongshan Park 2 January 30, 2006
- Zhongshan Park 1 January 30, 2006
- More on IELTS students January 7, 2006
- Staying for a bit January 6, 2006
- Hysterics and heresies December 19, 2005
- Not cancer November 2, 2005
- Bad attitude November 2, 2005
- Visa crap November 2, 2005
Category Archives: Schools & teaching
Best class ever: democracy
I want to mention my last class for this phase in China which was last Sunday. I’ve previously mentioned those wonderful kids, aged 14-17. For comparison, the summer class I recently had to endure was the lowest level I ever … Continue reading
Posted in Schools & teaching
Tagged canberra, china, chinese, democracy, education, election, gifted, kids, politics, subversive, teaching
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Quantum aliens and gifted kids
I want to finish this rant with something positive, but first some background. Normally, native-speaking teachers of English can never really know how much Chinese students understand, or specifically what they hear. Students nod at the right times and give … Continue reading
Again, the summer school
I was going to leave the school topic but it turned out too good to resist. One sign that all may not be well with a school is piles of broken junk. Another, maybe worse, sign is geriatric classroom equipment … Continue reading
Summer school
For some teachers summer is quiet, but in Shanghai it’s the busiest time. For a while it looked like I might miss half of it. I’ve been working at that school for fourteen months, with variable hours depending on demand. … Continue reading
Posted in Schools & teaching
Tagged aeroplane, boredom, boring, china, chinese, competition, complaints, computers, DVDs, english, entertainment, equipment, feral, junk, paper, school, summer, teaching, visas
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Fertile ground
I alternate between caring and not caring about student problems. Probably these correspond to phases of caring and not caring about teaching, and other moods. I still dislike calling myself a teacher, but at least I always give it my … Continue reading
Posted in Schools & teaching
Tagged attenborough, boys, china, chinese, dinosaurs, disinterest, DVD, education, english, excitement, feminism, girls, inert, passion, teaching, undergrowth
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Frankenstein scar
I have been back in Shanghai for about a week, initially quite unhappy about it. I always feel that way when I return and it always passes. This time too, but the feeling was worse than previously. The freezing drizzle … Continue reading
Posted in Medical, Schools & teaching
Tagged china, chinese, english, scar, school, teaching, visas
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Feng Shui management
Now I know the school’s really in trouble because they’ve been doing some heavy construction. A blindingly illogical conclusion one may think, but it goes like this. The construction has been to seal off some old doorways and to open … Continue reading
Posted in Schools & teaching
Tagged business, china, chinese, competence, crisis, english, feng shui, goodwill, management, morale, school, students
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Only English
Recently, for about the last month, I’ve been working full time plus a bit. It’s draining, I can’t do it all the time, but it’s okay once in a while. When the school’s short I nearly always agree to whatever … Continue reading
Posted in Schools & teaching
Tagged business, china, chinese, cost cutting, education, el cheapo, english, management, part time, school, students, teaching, turnover, visa
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Shanghai commuter trains 2
Re-reading the last one about trains, I think it does capture most of the essence of Shanghai train-travel. However, soon after I sent it out I took a trip along (the elevated) line 3 during the evening peak hour: something … Continue reading
Posted in Schools & teaching, Travel & transport
Tagged Baoshan Rd, china, chinese, commuter, crazy, crowded, halitosis, rat race, space, trains, zombies
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Geography and another summer
Looking at a globe, it’s not difficult to imagine why Shanghai has such hot summers. Before I moved here I didn’t know this, but actually Shanghai is one of the most southerly major northern cities. On a map of Asia, … Continue reading
Postcards from Shanghai 