Saturday, December 31, 2011

Last day of the Term

Saturday is a make-up day so that the college can have a three day weekend of Jan 1-3.  We are teaching Jan 3rd's class today.  Tuesday is the day I have 6 periods, a long day.  I am lucky though coz today is the last day of the term for me.  The school asked me to give my finals early, but everyone else has to stay till the 11th of January.
 
I have about 10 more culture interviews where the students have 10 minutes to
1.  Describe a picture
2.  Look at two pictures and give their opinion about which one is western and Chinese values.
3.  Answer 2 questions about material from the western culture class.
 
During the other 4 periods, students will watch a movie while I grade their notebooks so I can give them back their notebooks.  Why do I not feel guilty about just showing an end of the term movie and not teaching a lesson?
  1. They have already taken their finals and I will teach them again next semester.  Why teach a lesson plan that I will need for next semester?
  2. In Gansu I participated in the kung fu P.E. class and the way the teacher administered the exam was to have all the students just sit around while he watched one student do the routine.  Having students sit around while I grade their notebooks is somewhat similar but instead of just being bored, they get to watch an English movie.
  3. Watching a movie is like a treat that I want to give to my students for their hardwork this semester.
This semester has had quite a few lows:
1.  Commuting
2.  Having two campuses
3.  Responsibility and stress with the PC support and office position
4.  The dark and dreary weather of Chengdu
5.  Weariness of teaching for 11 years
 
It has also had some highs:
1.  Biking
2.  Food, art, music
3.  Attending a couchsurfing event and meeting a bunch of independent young local people
4.  The easy to work with school leaders, officials, and counterparts
 
I need a vacation and what does fate have in store for me?
Paris...  then Guangzhou... then back to Chengdu...

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