Teaching

I've taught my first lessons yesterday, rather successfully I'd say, given that I'm trying to teach them a language they don't know by using that same language. The students are pretty advanced actually. They've had loads of coaching and teaching from Chinese instructors before they encounter the 'western teachers'. Thankfully, this ensures that when we're put in the same room together we have some means of communicating (besides hand gestures and slapstick humor). Really, we just want them to speak and practice English (which will involve struggle and occasional failure) because trial and error may be the best way to improve. However, a large part of Chinese culture is 'saving face'. Unlike in America where we have TV shows like 'Candid Camera' and 'Fear Factor' where people will happily make fools of themselves, nobody in China wants to look foolish no matter what. This means if they aren't sure of themselves in English, if their grammar isn't perfect or if their pronunciation is wrong, then they just won't speak. As I said earlier our goal is to create dialogue and facilitate conversations in English, but it's made a thousand times harder when the students just want to 'save face' and say nothing. It'll take time, but I'll learn the tools of the trade and become a master teacher.

Speaking of becoming a master, I've bought a book on Chinese characters and am going to make an effort to improve my Mandarin. The main encouragement is I'm tired of going to restaurants where I have to point at all my food...