Teachers in Xiaolan should always be thinking about how to make classes fun and interesting, through games, teamwork exercises and activities. Character is a very important part of teaching, we should all try to be more expressive and use body language in class and also to use a strong voice when teaching (be larger than life). Your Chinese counterparts will give advice but they may not give honest or accurate criticism as they don’t want to be known as the “Bad Guy” and are afraid how a foreigner will react to negative comments about classes, so it is important to have a good rapport with colleagues and the hierarchy so they know that you will be fine with any comment s and also will try to fix any problems.
Maintaining control of the class should be taken seriously as children assume that they can do anything when Chinese teachers are not around and that the rules they follow for Chinese teachers don’t apply to foreign teachers, rewards and games can help with control. Be careful when punishing a child as sometimes it may backfire so it is best to try a little first and also to see what other teachers recommend.
Always try to be positive even if the day has been long, the weather is bad and even if your annoyed by other things try to put on a friendly face when you begin class. They may have strange question or request, teachers should try to answer all question. Humor is essential in class and we should have a few jokes if possible to keep the attention of the students. |
