Tuesday

It is about 1pm and I have just eaten lunch at the canteen along with the other teachers. It costs about 30p for a huge plate of food! I had rice, shredded potatoes (perhaps their version of chips?), stir fry veg and meat, steamed egg and tomato and egg soup.

I spend the morning watching lessons - English, art and music. They were all great. In the English lesson the students learnt about Shakespeare, watched a bit of Romeo and Juliet and then had to make up their own play asnd perform it. The whole lesson was conducted in English and the students seemed to have a very good level of English and spoke well. They were all very keen to speak to me and came up and asked lots of questions in English such as 'what is your favourite movie' and I even practiced a bit of my chinese and spoke about my family. Of course they corrected my pronounication but they understood me. In the music lesson, the students learnt a typical folk song and had to dance. In art, the students practiced paper cutting and made paper cuttings. They all gave them to me as gifts so I now have lots to put on the wall at school. In all the classes, the students were very attentive and paid attention well. But there was a nice atmosphere and it wasn't as formal perhaps as I expected. There are so many students in each class so the style of teaching has to take this into consideration with the teacher talking a lot from the front. The students are lovely though and very friendly.

Plus got to watch the students take part in the daily exercises. Everyone went outsiode during morning break to do exercises together to music. They stood in their lines and followed the movements - a bit like aerobics but static. It was incredible.

Now I have some meetings with the students and the deputy about the link..

I will try to post some photos if I can.