New office, new building, new job!
on Kirsten VSO (China), 12/Sep/2010 00:43, 34 days ago
I don't often write about my work here in China - for various reasons. However, since the start of the new term, there have been a lot of changes in my host school. The headteacher was booted out, my main contact in the school left and there was very little support or interest in VSO or me.After a few unhappy weeks, I decided to do something about it. So, I have now moved to the nursery next door to the school (which is where my main contact in the school moved. She is the new head of the nursery.)The place is brand new and lovely. Lots of space and the rooms have aircon! I will be working there in the mornings, planning an English curriculum for the teachers to follow, making resources for it and training the staff - both in how to teach English, in general child development skills and knowledge, and in health and hygiene.The rooms are bright, clean and have suitable furniture but no other resources at all. No wonder the kids look bored (below) - they get 3 "lessons" a day (Chinese, maths and English) where they simply listen and repeat. There is no paper for them to draw on and nothing like sand, water, dressing-up or house corner. This isn't due to lack of cash, but due to lack of awareness. To the staff, education is about looking, listening and repeating - not about practising gross or fine motor skills or developing understanding through play. This is partly what I hope to achieve in the training - and I think it'll be fun!This is my new office on the second floor of the nursery. It's SO different from my old office with its concrete floor and broken windows.However, this is the view out of my office window. It's the accommodation block of the teachers at my host school. It's strange how old and new, rich and poor sit cheek by jowl here in China.