This week, I felt like I was getting in a groove with teaching. I was used to making new lesson plans and comfortable carrying them out. Kristie, Elizabeth, and I decided collectively to teach together in the classroom. We believed that the bigger class size worked better for group activities as we observed students were more incentivized to participate in activities and games in a bigger group setting. Perhaps our students felt more comfortable speaking with the company and support of more of their classmates instead of being in a more personal one-on-one setting with us Duke students. After all, these students have known each other and been in the same exact classes since they started middle school, which is pretty amazing to be coming from a middle school where it was rare for two students to have the same exact schedule. Another benefit of joining our classes was that us Duke students could assume and focus in on more specific roles and switch off when needed. For example, we split up our lesson plans into sections that one person would teach. This way, that person could perfect his/her section and execute it with lesson hitches. The two other Duke students could then help write words and pictures on the board to complement the lesson plan and monitor the class for any students causing distractions or not listening. Elizabeth and I, two Chinese speakers, could also help Kristie and the students with translation for better understanding. The decision to stay in the classroom instead of going outdoors or to other rooms for lessons was due to the classroom having fans and a chalkboard readily accessible. We realize that this decision might have not been the most popular one for the students as they use the room for every other class already, but we tried to make our lesson plans more interactive and fun with games and activities to at least switch up the teaching style.
This week, as we were teaching a class, Kristie, Elizabeth, and I had a group of teachers/parents observing our class. We definitely got more nervous and stumbled a bit. Although we had already gone over our lesson plan countless times already, we were probably scared that the adults were judging our teaching skills and determining if we were worthwhile for the students. I also often question how effective and useful I am for my students’ English learning. I know I am not a professional teacher, but I do know that I at least have inspired some of my students to study harder and think learning is fun. Our students cheer every time it is time for our class and become more and more enthusiastic and engaged in class as time goes on.
I also began to hang out more with my students this week outside of our classes together. I tried stinky tofu for the first time, as a few of my students took me to their favorite spot after school. It was really cool to finally try this food, as my father really loves it, and it is an iconic Taiwanese street food. I also ate lunch with one of my classes and met with a few of my students on the weekend for a meal. I did not previously realize how much my presence and company meant to some of my students. When I walked into the classroom to eat lunch with my students, they all cheered and wanted to sit next to me. If this simple action can brighten their days, I definitely want to continue doing it. Some of these students are really becoming close to me, and I am starting to feel almost a bigger brother/father vibe towards them. I am also adjusting more to my environment here. I am more comfortable around my host family and more regularly engage in conversations with them. It is really interesting to hear their perspective of Chinese history and the US. I am beginning to feel like more of a resident of Zhuhai now. I know how to get to the recreation center and nearby parks, shops, and restaurants without a map.
This week, us Duke students had a group meeting to check in with each other and share any thoughts to make sure we were on the same page. As some people were giving other constructive criticism and expressing how they would like to improve themselves, I followed suit, sharing that I sometimes felt uncomfortable/disappointed when members of our group were, in my opinion, not exhibiting cultural humility, mocking locals and dissing Chinese culture and customs. But I admitted that if I were in their shoes, in a very foreign country with no prior knowledge of its language or culture, I probably would have done the same. We all agreed to strive to have more respect for all cultures and try to understand the reason for behaviors and customs before criticizing them. I also gave constructive criticism to one member of our group for a teaching method. I believe I was giving helpful insight and bringing our group closer together by helping each other grow as educators and adults, but my classmate ended up feeling hurt and singled out, which was never my intention. I apologized sincerely, as I had not known I made this classmate feel that way. I learned that words always have a time and place to be said. Even though this feedback could have been helpful for my classmate, the situation in which I presented it in seemed to have not been the best one. In the future, I will think more deeply about when and where my words can be the most beneficial and welcomed.
