Yesterday, the foreign teachers had a meeting to discuss any problems and assigned our timetables for next term. My number of hours has been reduced to 12 hours a week… 6 Lessons. I’ll be teaching 4 classes of first year students in the same department as I was working last semester. Thankfully I won’t have to teach students who bare a grudge against me for an unfair mark in their eyes. I’ll also be teaching 2 lessons a week in Lushun, a second year debate/public speaking class, and a first year (non English major) oral class. The English department was expecting me to teach an elective class (obligatory for me) but thankfully one of the other teachers offered to swap it for one of his second year oral classes. I didn’t feel I could deliver such a class responsibly and well without more preparation than the other teachers, as I am an Engineering major myself, not having an arts/humanities degree, with little experience, I feel I am at a disadvantage to others in English teaching.
The department has hired 3 new teachers, and lost another when his contract expired. This is the reason, I’m guessing, that my hours have been reduced. A couple, who left their previous job in another part of China and have moved here recently, and a HSK student. All three are British, with the couple from the North West, and the HSK student from London. Needless to say that I was happy to have some conversation on the bus home.
On the whole I felt the situation better than expected, I only have to Lushun twice a week. Most of my teaching will be in an environement in which I’m already familure. I’m teaching from a book that, although isn’t the same as the ones last term, is the same series as I’ve taught. Like last term, I only need to prepare 2 lessons a week, which will alow me to continue giving time to Tai Chi and the Gym.
Being healthy is really a priority for me at the moment, as this is something that I really didn’t get taught well at school, nor did I enjoy doing. Of course this resulted in my doing almost no exercise at college and an excess of food and alcohol led quite naturally to my getting fat. Changing habbits can be difficult, and I certainly felt that at first. Now I quite look foreward to going to the gym where the physical work allows me to feel some achievement. The tai chi provides a working surface for spiritual activity in a number of ways. Balance, physical and mental. Better posture for meditation. Self criticism to be diminished and mental strength and stillness improved. Insight into Chinese philosophy and history. The list continues. It’s very holistic and wholesome. 
This afternoon I have a lesson with my tutees, after the lesson all three of us will goto Mastor Zhang’s house, and Miao’s mother will cook for him and his wife. This evening we will goto meet a Canadian Computing friend at an American style restaurant (I only know how to spell that word from french lessons) near the “Olympic square” where all the big chain (read expensive) sports shops are located, and football/basket ball pitches are available for use.
Recent Comments