LEAF-go-VSO
STC Work
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STC Work |
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What are we doing here?
In September 2006 we were joined in Simao by a new VSO volunteer from England, Jayne Skipper. As VSO is withdrawing from English language teaching and training in China in February 2008, we will be the last VSOs to work in Simao Teachers' College. Jayne is currently teaching Grade 1 Oral English, Culture of Britain and America and has just completed a term of co-teaching Grade 1 Integrated Skills. Jayne also teaches English Skills as part of our one-month INSETT course. As VSO is withdrawing from English language teaching and training in February 2009 we are likely to be the last VSOs based in Simao Teachers' College. This has motivated Lesley to focus all her energy on sustainable initiatives i.e. those that may carry on after we have leave. While this has always been a shared VSO principle, VSOs withdrawal is an extra impetus to make the very most of our time here, for both current and future students and teachers. Thus, as well as teaching, our main work involves the development of a comprehensive teacher training and student teaching practice exchange programme between Simao Teachers' College and local Education Bureaus - this new programme is called PIE - Pre-service/In-service teaching practice Exchange. The first step was Jinggu-PIE 2007, a fully successful endeavor that has inspired further Yunnan Education Bureau offices and Middle Schools to sign up for the same treatment. Click on the pictures below for more photos and adventure tales from Lesley's Jinggu Middle School Tours of 2007
Action plan for 2008 In her (possibly) last term in Simao, March - July 2008, Lesley will be focusing the majority of her work time and energy on developing PIE. In March 40 teachers from Mojiang Middle Schools will attend the second of our one-month intensive training courses while 40 of our students head to their schools to fill their shoes. We will continue to provide support for these students, that began in November 2007 with text book analysis, teaching observations and lesson planning. One visit to Mojiang to see a number of the students during their teaching practice has been scheduled for mid-March. As well as preparing comprehensive training and study materials for future courses, Lesley will also train two new trainers and one administrative assistant, the team who will continue this work when VSO leaves. Hou Wan Xia shadowed Lesley for the Jinggu Project and, with her experience of PRESETT methods training, is primed to co-deliver the March course. For the remainder of the term Lesley follow-up teachers in their own Middle Schools, observing lessons, giving feedback, teaching demonstrations and offering support or training to English Department teams. She will also give demonstration lessons in Simao in Middle Schools with which her work was involved last year. A further fun project involves the production of teaching and training-related films. These cover topics such as co-teaching, middle school experiences and a wide range of filmed lessons for use as training tools. The success of Jinggu-PIE 2007 means that Mme Du, the College President, has asked other departments to adopt this training/teaching practice model. She has also insisted that Lesley focus all her energy on training and withdraw from English teaching within the College. THis meant a tearful goodbye to her beloved Writing course and the Grade 3 students she's been getting to know over the last 2 and a half yeras. She will still have contact with a large number of them through extra-curricular activities and PRESETT teacher training work. Furthermore, the pupils of Simao's rural middle schools have already won a big place in her heart. Lesley is also excited at the prospect of working with teachers from other departments as so many of the teaching themes explored to help teachers cope with China's educational reform are relevant across the curriculum.
Teaching Diary Archive Back to the Grindstone It's my penultimate (it would have been had we not extended!) term at Simao Teachers' College. After a long trip - Summer Holiday 2006 - my brain is now boggling with hopes and expectations for the year ahead. Another volunteer may well arrive on my departure but this doesn't reduce my determination to do as much as I can in such a short time. I have been building up to this (working as a VSO volunteer) for well over 10 years, too long to let it slip by. The personal cost of the mountain of aims and objectives is, however, the inevitable disappointment at the end of a day, or week, when I see the things I haven't done glaring at me from a list. This term may be less of a professional and day-to-day challenge (I know the system a little more now and domestic life breaks less new ground) but emotionally I can already anticipate the roller coaster. I must retain a balance of work and home life, a balance of physical rest and exertion and a balance of emotional expenditure and nurturing. The needs to balance, of course, aren't only my own. I must think of Alastair - a parent and frustrated hill-runner - of Freda - throwing herself trustingly into the Chinese Education system - and Edie - lining up plastic animals and helping with the home chores. I must also think of VSO agendas, expectations and goals, both long and short-term. On top of that we have to consider the students (current and graduates), the middle school pool of teachers requesting workshops, English Department colleagues, Department leaders and the College investments. At the beginning, middle and end of the day, there is also the need to keep in touch with our friends and family members, sponsors and newspapers. Sometimes it seems so easy to log-in to Skype or send an email to reach around the globe, bringing us closer together. Yet it can be as easy not to. We're busy, distracted, caught up with mundane maintenance tasks (I'm sure you can all relate to that) and the hole left after the receiver is replaced can seem more gaping and raw than it was before. Distance diminished and emphasised in the same instance. So I turn back to work and that, after EAF, is where the majority of energy is used up. I have spent some time prioritising tasks and fine-tuning course outlines to maximise my time with the students. Bar a few extra-curricular activities that are as much for my benefit as the students (Sunflower, book-making), I have decided to respond only (mainly) to direct requests. This means that I am currently teaching Writing and Vision and Listening, both intended to upgrade the English skills of pre-service middle and primary school teachers. Following Zhou Jian Hong's request to co-teach Integrated Skills, we gained permission from the College and Dean. As mentioned above, I will also continue my co-teaching with Hou Wan Xia, although this year my role is more as an observer with input in the form of planning, course book analysis and demonstrations.
As yet, I have no plans to reinstate the Teachers' Workshops. They were well-attended and gained great feedback last year. Nevertheless, the motivating force was virtually all mine. I have decided, therefore, that any effort I make this term will match the effort that my Chinese colleagues are willing to make. This way we can support each other, share skills and develop a programme that may continue after my departure. This general aim - to make a difference - is a motivation I share with VSO and most volunteers. It's difficult sometimes to know what constitutes making a 'positive' or 'desirable' difference. How can we know our full impact on the world and the people around us? I find this both frightening and exhilarating in a context where we stand out like sore thumbs. The co-teaching is a chance to make a difference to the professional lives of those I work with. I am also learning much more about teaching and learning than I would working in isolation. I am fortunate to be working with such highly-motivated, trained and experienced English teachers and this, along with our eager and generous students, is what has kept me going to date. Teaching Workshops English teaching to upgrade student language skills is on-going. This is principally through the Writing and Culture courses, the latter of which is about to be taken over by a Chinese colleague, Miss Liu. This is because I am exceptionally busy, with a lot of time taken up developing PRESETT (Pre-Service) and INSETT (In-Service) teacher training - both in the College but also for local middle school teachers. The INSETT programme is going well. We have already held two afternoon and one weekend (well, half day) workshop, which Gillian and Becky ran on their visit from Xingyi.
(left) Becky (black vest) and Gillian (blue vest) delivering a session during our half-day teacher training workshop; (center) Grade II students taking care of the catering so that teachers could have drinks and nibbles in the break; (right) English Department teachers enjoying some discussion on the topic of 'motivation' The Training and CPD (Continuing Professional Developement) Programme is accompanied by a newsletter (below) and a handbook. I am currently encouraging teachers to be involved with the production of these. While there are co-teaching volunteers to deliver workshops, I haven't yet had contributions to CPD news so it's future remains uncertain. I'll try one more issue to stir up some interest. If you would like to contribute something to it, PLEASE get in touch. The more the merrier....
Early days in the saddle I have now completed my first term of teaching and feel quite chuffed. I think it went well on the whole and I have learned a lot about the College, the students and Chinese methods of teaching and learning. I have also learned how I might best use my short time here. This experience and knowledge should, I hope, make my future work here more efficient and effective. Although invited by the Dean of English to teach The Culture of America next term (to compliment this term's Culture of Britain course) I have my doubts about the value of this course. The Culture of Britain course has provided most useful to demonstrate and explore teaching methods. Student feedback suggested that while they have benefited from the listening, speaking and group work exercises, the cultural information is not particularly useful. Unfortunately this course must be taught and so I have agreed with the President of the College to do this. She has, however, given me permission to design the course according to the student needs. This will mean incorporating more teaching practice and methodology. As yet I have still to plan the details! This will take shape next term once the students have completed their Middle School teaching practice and have a clearer idea of what skills they need to develop. Before I sign off, here are a few new photos taken during one of the most successful lessons of the British Culture course: Democracy! The first double lesson explored the democracy, the social system and general elections in Britain. During the second double lesson the students completed manifestos, gave Party Political Broadcasts and voted at the class polling station using ballot papers listing all 9 parties.
The 3 winning parties (one from each class) attended a victory tea party at Buckingham Palace (our house) with the Queen (who was unable to attend, unfortunately, due to air traffic congestion in Kunming). The butler (Ali) prepared drop scones, coffee and Lipton's tea for the guests. We had a lovely morning. Here are the winning parties.
The Devil Party The Sunshine Party The Education Party To see some of the products of the writing course don't forget to visit Student Work and Sunflower.
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