Communication
on Tina's Journal (China), 28/Oct/2009 14:31, 34 days ago
One of the things that the teachers have to practice doing on this course is facilitating meetings. Each afternoon they take it in turns to facilitate a feedback meeting. For 30 mins four teachers'teach' the other trainees as though they were students in junior middle school. The trainees then go off into groups to'discuss' the lesson. I have my own group which I am responsible for and I observe two trainees per session facilitate the discussion. The facilitators started today's session with a fun game where they all had to do something a bit'silly' when it was their turn. They had fun as the photo shows! When they have finished the meeting, I have to then facilitate another feedback meeting where they have a chance to comment on how well they led the meeting. The first challenge for both them and me is the communication barrier. Despite being english teachers, their level of english is in some cases only at an elementary level. I have to rely on the more advanced english speakers to translate into chinese when necessary. It means I have to communicate in simple terms and use a lot of body language. I am trying to get them to reflect on their own teaching methods and guide them to find their own answers to problems so that they can go back to their schools and do the same thing with their co-teachers. They are so used to just being told something and given answers that they struggle to'think' for themselves. Of course they can do it, it takes time and perseverance. Despite the hard work, I really enjoy working with them and am learning too that it is not just aboutwhatyou communicate buthowyou communicate.