Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
I need your help and I am waiting for your help
Does some of the members here have Greg's e-mail? He gave me, but I am terrible sorry to lose it. I need your help and I am waiting for your help
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Back Home in Indiana
We're home and settling in to life back in Indiana. We arrived at Fort Wayne International Airport on Sunday night at 11:35 PM (that would have been Monday morning at 11:35 AM in Doumen).
What wonderful memories we have of meeting new friends and reacquainting with friends we'd met in the past. Of course our lives are changed from the trip.
We want to thank Jumbo He and Adam He for their hard work to make the camp a success. These two fine men are hard workers. They are a good example to us. They took care of camp details as well as looking after so many things related to hosting and caring for our team. Jumbo and his wife, Chai, took wonderful care of me when I was not feeling well for a couple of days. It's hard to describe the gratitude I feel for their attentive care.
I hope we will be able to continue this partnership for years to come. We will cherish the memories of Zhuhai English Camp 2008!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Can I share my essay here?
I remembered last Friday, Luke asked us to upload our essay on the blog and shared with others in the camp. Maybe this is a memorial for my learning experience. So I'd like to share it with more friends. It's a little bit strange for foreign teachers about some Chines expression like : a key high school, a contract teacher ... ect. Maybe they are just Chinese features. But I have fun with talking with our American trainers.
Jobs for living or For Fun
By Sunny Susan
In 1993, I graduated from a normal university. I was so lucky to be a teacher in one key high school in my hometown. I was so happy to support myself in the economy and live not far away from my parents.
I worked in the key high school for ten years. During the ten years, I taught lots of students and also had good relationships with some students. Nevertheless, I always felt pressure from society and students’ parents—like most of the teachers. I seldom found fun in my career. I always heard the words: One who works in one career will hate the career. Many people around me worked just for a living, not for fun. But I still worked hard and lived my life like others did.
In 2004, I came to Zhuhai because of my husband’s job transport. My husband’s career worked out very well, but mine didn’t. I had to look for a job. I just worked as a contract teacher in one middle school in Zhuhai and earned only one third of a formal teacher’s income. In the coming three years, I suffered a lot from the failure to pass recruitment exams for teachers in Zhuhai. In 2008, I passed the teacher’s recruitment exam. I became a formal teacher again in one primary school in Zhuhai. I didn’t really like to be a formal teacher in primary school, but I cherished my current job very much because I didn’t need to worry about hunting for jobs in the coming year. Like many Chinese, I felt lucky to find stable work again. Still I didn’t find the fun in teaching, especially teaching students in low grades.
However, I switched my opinion about jobs after I participated in the training program of the summer camp in Doumen. I see our American trainers’ passion and efforts to make their work go very well. As a trainee, I feel fun and I am motivated by their lessons, free talk, and casual talk at lunchtime. I feel they have a good team and always make their work practical. Each member involves himself/herself in his/her job. Each of them has his own characteristics. No one only wants to stand out. They always have good schedules each day. So they work efficiently. They look like a happy family and do their job very well. Their attitude to their work gives me a very deep impression. Of course all of my American teachers are friendly and helpful.
I come to realize that I can do my work like them in the future. I can make my students enjoy my lessons like I enjoy my American trainers’ lessons and free talk. I will try out different games and methods to prepare for my lessons. I’d like to have a spoken English lesson at least once a week as Valerie suggests. I’ll like to share my treasure teaching objects with my colleagues like Susie’s and Valerie’s treasure suitcases, which contain lots of useful teaching objects. I’ll try to write some English songs with popular music, which students are familiar with. I think songs or stories can make my lessons attractive and interesting. I’ll create more activities for my students to use their multiple intelligences in class and make sure all the students in different levels to participate in my classroom activities. I’ll let them draw, sing, speak and do TPR in the lesson. Next term, I would like to set up an English corner for the students to pratice their spoken English like the free talk in this camp. This training program in the summer camp of Doumen gives me much inspiration. It makes Chinese English teachers more creative and lets us think over what we should do before our lesson. I believe if I keep doing as I mentione above later, I’ll find more fun in my work not just pressure, tiredness or complaint.
I believe if one likes her job, she will find more fun and enjoy her job. For the students, they will be motivated and influenced by the teacher’s optimistic attitude. For me , I believe if one is open-minded and keeps learning in her life, her life will not be busy, but fun.
Jobs for living or For Fun
By Sunny Susan
In 1993, I graduated from a normal university. I was so lucky to be a teacher in one key high school in my hometown. I was so happy to support myself in the economy and live not far away from my parents.
I worked in the key high school for ten years. During the ten years, I taught lots of students and also had good relationships with some students. Nevertheless, I always felt pressure from society and students’ parents—like most of the teachers. I seldom found fun in my career. I always heard the words: One who works in one career will hate the career. Many people around me worked just for a living, not for fun. But I still worked hard and lived my life like others did.
In 2004, I came to Zhuhai because of my husband’s job transport. My husband’s career worked out very well, but mine didn’t. I had to look for a job. I just worked as a contract teacher in one middle school in Zhuhai and earned only one third of a formal teacher’s income. In the coming three years, I suffered a lot from the failure to pass recruitment exams for teachers in Zhuhai. In 2008, I passed the teacher’s recruitment exam. I became a formal teacher again in one primary school in Zhuhai. I didn’t really like to be a formal teacher in primary school, but I cherished my current job very much because I didn’t need to worry about hunting for jobs in the coming year. Like many Chinese, I felt lucky to find stable work again. Still I didn’t find the fun in teaching, especially teaching students in low grades.
However, I switched my opinion about jobs after I participated in the training program of the summer camp in Doumen. I see our American trainers’ passion and efforts to make their work go very well. As a trainee, I feel fun and I am motivated by their lessons, free talk, and casual talk at lunchtime. I feel they have a good team and always make their work practical. Each member involves himself/herself in his/her job. Each of them has his own characteristics. No one only wants to stand out. They always have good schedules each day. So they work efficiently. They look like a happy family and do their job very well. Their attitude to their work gives me a very deep impression. Of course all of my American teachers are friendly and helpful.
I come to realize that I can do my work like them in the future. I can make my students enjoy my lessons like I enjoy my American trainers’ lessons and free talk. I will try out different games and methods to prepare for my lessons. I’d like to have a spoken English lesson at least once a week as Valerie suggests. I’ll like to share my treasure teaching objects with my colleagues like Susie’s and Valerie’s treasure suitcases, which contain lots of useful teaching objects. I’ll try to write some English songs with popular music, which students are familiar with. I think songs or stories can make my lessons attractive and interesting. I’ll create more activities for my students to use their multiple intelligences in class and make sure all the students in different levels to participate in my classroom activities. I’ll let them draw, sing, speak and do TPR in the lesson. Next term, I would like to set up an English corner for the students to pratice their spoken English like the free talk in this camp. This training program in the summer camp of Doumen gives me much inspiration. It makes Chinese English teachers more creative and lets us think over what we should do before our lesson. I believe if I keep doing as I mentione above later, I’ll find more fun in my work not just pressure, tiredness or complaint.
I believe if one likes her job, she will find more fun and enjoy her job. For the students, they will be motivated and influenced by the teacher’s optimistic attitude. For me , I believe if one is open-minded and keeps learning in her life, her life will not be busy, but fun.
Goodbye and have a good journey
Yesterday was the end day of our summer camp. We had an ending ceremony with students' performances and teachers' getting their certificates. We appreciate students' wonderful performances. Gill made every efforts to train students and they did wonderful jobs. Every action done by Gill is so elegant. I was struck by Gill's action in students' singing. Bridger did a great job. His talent in art was shown to us . The story behind the song is so attractive. Each of the insects or bird has their purpose in life as each human being does. Definitely, all the American teachers put their efforts to help the perfomances develop smoothly. I know you're a team at any time in the team. I was also glad to receive my certificate from our instructors. At that moment, I felt bitter happy. I was happy to do any activities with my instructors and my colleagues. I was sad that our American instructors would leave for their motherland. We sang " Goodbye" to all my friends and instructors. At that time, I held back my tears because I was sure we'll have chances to see again. You're welcome to come to China next summer camp.
Today I saw your photos on the blog. Susie and Jeff were talking with each other. You were on the ferry. I wish you have a happy journey and have a good rest on the board.
Today I saw your photos on the blog. Susie and Jeff were talking with each other. You were on the ferry. I wish you have a happy journey and have a good rest on the board.
On our way home!
Susie and Jeff talk during our ferry ride from Zhuhai to Hong Kong. The team will look around Hong Kong on Saturday before starting our 24 hour journey home on Sunday.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Goodbye . . .
The three-week teacher training and two week English Camp closes with the “Goodbye Song”. Mixed emotions were felt by all including satisfaction by the teachers to have completed the training and happiness by everyone to have the opportunity to meet new friends. However, at the end of the day we were sad to say goodbye.
More final day activities . . .
Miss Liu, Jumbo and Canaan are presented with pennants from Huntington University.
Certificates were presented to teachers for competing the teacher training.
Signing of camp shirts was popular.
The Final Day
The last day of camp included our usual activities in the morning, free talk and practice teaching by the Chinese teachers. In the afternoon, we watched our second camp musical entitled “Glow”. Here are the students presenting the puppet drama written by Bridger Fetters and directed by Jeff Bleijerveld.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
It's an amazing experience
This afternoon, my essay was chosen to be discussed in free talk. I read my essay in front of my American teachers and some Chinese English teachers. I felt it's an amzing experience for me. I was lack of courage to talk with others before a group of English teachers, especially English
native speakers. But this afternoon I did it. I felt proud of myself. I learned a lot from writing the essay. Meanwhile I want to thank Adam and Greg for correcting my essay and make it much better than before. Therefore, the teachers in free talk can see a good essay written by me. I feel very happy to share my experience with my friends.
I still remember the first day in the camp. In Valerie's lesson, she asked us to introduce ourselves , choose one place to travel and choose one animal that we want to be. At that moment, I just had courage to talk in a small group. I dared not speak English in front of a large group of teachers. After that, I made my mind to be active in all the activities later in the camp. Day by day, I participated, spoke and shared my ideas with others. I had fun each day in the camp. I am surprised to find that I become so brave. I speak English more fluently and accurately. Much practice in the camp makes my spoken English better than before. This is an unforgetable and amazing experience in my life. Here, I want to thank all my American teachers for your help and professional teaching. Thank you for your hard work.
native speakers. But this afternoon I did it. I felt proud of myself. I learned a lot from writing the essay. Meanwhile I want to thank Adam and Greg for correcting my essay and make it much better than before. Therefore, the teachers in free talk can see a good essay written by me. I feel very happy to share my experience with my friends.
I still remember the first day in the camp. In Valerie's lesson, she asked us to introduce ourselves , choose one place to travel and choose one animal that we want to be. At that moment, I just had courage to talk in a small group. I dared not speak English in front of a large group of teachers. After that, I made my mind to be active in all the activities later in the camp. Day by day, I participated, spoke and shared my ideas with others. I had fun each day in the camp. I am surprised to find that I become so brave. I speak English more fluently and accurately. Much practice in the camp makes my spoken English better than before. This is an unforgetable and amazing experience in my life. Here, I want to thank all my American teachers for your help and professional teaching. Thank you for your hard work.
Free Talk
This is one of my free talk groups. In the morning I visit with two groups of teachers for an hour each. Free talk topics have become more challenging for non native English speakers. Emotions, feelings and parenting are a few of the topics we are discussing as our time in China comes to a close.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Chinese Teachers Rock!
I have had the distint pleasure of observing many Chinese teachers teaching their English lessons. They have worked very hard to create games, surveys, and songs to teach English to their students. Simply amazing!
Fun with the Fam!
Hi Friends,
In the evening, I've been able to have lots of fun with my host family. Amy invited her friend, Happy, over and we talked much of the night. It is great to make so many friends that I can keep in correspondance with when I return. It's so hard to believe we will return this weekend. Amy and Hopkins sent up MSN so we can talk with each other--the only problem will be the 12 hour time differene. But, it will be fun to keep talking.
Cross-cultural experiences!
Several Chinese teachers invited a few of our team to make dumplings at their home. It was a lot of fun to learn how to make Chinese food. But is was more fun eat! Shown pictured from the left is Petro (our host), Jeff, Charlie, Susan, Angel, Anna, and Greg.
Our Chinese hosts show us how to make dumplings.
Susan showed Susie how to make the perfect dumpling.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Lights, Camera, Action!!!
Preparations are under way for this Friday's Middle School puppet and music presentation. Yuki has just completed work on "Flier" the star of our show. Students are also preparing some great songs with lots of surprises.
American teachers watch, review and coach the Chinese teachers.
Jana reviews a sample lesson plan.
Adam talks with a teacher about ideas that will help her in the classroom.
Valerie offers a few tips about activities that will help students with their English.
A walk to school . . .
Nancy, Jana and I have taken another route to school. Through the market. You can purchase just about anything.
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