Evaluations Hans, you write a good travel blog, I grant you that, but you have mainly given us the brochure version of China, with a glossy, sugary coating .
My college also has just had its 5-year evaluation, which it too was given top marks, though little has changed in some of the more important, academic aspects of the college. Many of the improvements or changes were superficial or decorative including some incredibly gaudy lights. After the inspection I still see students using text books that have stories about buying gramophone records, or celebrating Christmas in a manner befitting the 1950s. More desks are being put into already overcrowded classrooms to cater for the ever increasing intake of students. I still see students endlessly sleeping or playing with their mobile ‘phones at the back of most classes. We still have teachers who receive little in the way of any kind of professional teacher training. I still see outdated teaching methods, with little innovation employed or understood in classrooms
During the inspection, students were forbidden to hold hands or put their arms around each other while on campus. Teachers, including overseas teachers, had to be prepared for snap lesson inspections though it was doubtful if an overseas’ lessons would be inspected. At my wife’s university, my wife had to teach some extra oral lessons, so some students could rehearse what they might say if asked questions by an inspector ..
Though, to be fair at an ethical high-street bank I used to work at in England, they too received an award of some kind for ‘investing in people’, but the reality was quite different.
Hi from Koln Hi there to my favourite "Panda"! Thanks for the memories and the chuckles! I see nothing much has changed. Looks like you had great weather this year, though.
I appreciate your presence in China Hello, and what an excellent blog, and more so an excellent life you are living there! Without such a life you couldn't not make such a blog! I lived in China for 1.5 years and recently returned to the US. I appreciate and encourage your sincere, secure and confident engagements with the Chinese people, I especially like how you are not at all off put by any negligence but rather confront it joyously. That is most excellent! Though it is unfortunate I think that so few Chinese seem to realize the political motivation behind the military training, which if you did not know was implemented around 1990...I like how you focused on the experience itself, which as you stated is mandatory and for now inevitable. I am glad to know that there is a fair-minded, and apparently very intelligent, kind-hearted, and interested American such as yourself living there in China and creating such blessed connections. Godspeed brother!
Amazing Post Wow. I've never posted a comment before---but I clicked on your blog by chance and just wanted to thank you for this post. It's completely fascinating.
Chine teachers' information Sir, as I was about to log on to travelblog, I noticed the wording of the education remarks below the picture on the home page. I am not a teacher, but feel they are so under valued here in the United States. I so enjoyed your blog and wanted you to know that. My work and play experiences last year in the Yucatan (and US hurricanes now that I am back in Texas) are nothing compared to your information. Thank you so much. And belated Happy Teacher's Day !
Patt Barrington aka pattusa
Orange, Texas
Dear Mr Schneider, I've just read through this 103th entry. What I all want to say is thank you from my heart. Though I haven't managed to read all your blogs, I'm intended to download and store all your writings and photos, possibly on a disc, just in case that one day these precious pieces would become suddenly no more available. You've connected my hometown to the western world much nearer, for the still unabled to face and experience a real outside world, in such a gorgeous way at such a high standard. While having been bridging a life between the west and east, I understand every bit of feelings in your detailed descriptions. Also the benefit of helping to improving my English by reading your blogs is huge. Only if I could bring you a bunch of flowers!
Following your blogs Hi Hans, I realized I've been reading your blogs for a long time now; all the time you've been in Taizhou. For this entry I liked being reminded of the first days of school at a Chinese university. Also the pix of the Imperial Exam Academy is similar to Fuzi Miao in Nanjing where the exams were held. Nanjing also has the wax figures, but none sleeping! Thanks for continuing to blog. I enjoy it.
Memories! Hi from Salzburg, Austria!
Great to see you finally got the opportunity to ride in one of the boats in our park! Everything looks so much greener now! It also looks a lot warmer than it is in Europe at the moment! Thanks also for the details as I accidentally sent my notes home , so have had to "ad-lib" with some of my blogs!
beautiful photos! Hans, once again you have introduced us to another magnificent part of China that is off the normal tourist route. Your photos are lovely and I must say, you are looking really fit, and must be to have walked those steps! Thanks again(I will email privately soon to update you.)
Beautilful Yangzhou Dear Hans, I"m your student in Nanjing Normal University Taizhou College. I'm so happy to see the pictures of Yangzhou. I have been staying in that city for two years, and have visited the Slender West Lake. It is very beautiful. Your photos reminds me of the happy time when I was there with my friends. Thanks.
I admire you As a Chinese,I haven't travel so mang beautiful places,and I admire you so much for your teaching in class,you always made us smiled the whole lesson,but from it we aslo can learn much from you ,even as a Chinese we don't know much about our country...
Thank you very much! Wellcome Back!
Great blog! Great writing and great photos!
I hope you can deal with these materials and write a book in the future, introduce real China and Chinese cultures to American people.
2 year contract question/answer I teach at Taizhou Teachers College in Taizhou, Jiangsu. I have had two 1year contracts, and my time here at our college has been that of being with a family. After discussion with the Foreign Affairs Director at my college this past year, it was a mutual decision that both parties, they and I, wanted to maintain this professional relationship for another two years. They offered the contract and I was happy to sign it. Of course, I will have to renew the visa yearly in order to receive my Foreign Expert Certificate, but that will be taken care of by my college. I like the security of knowing my residence for another two years. It helps me follow the progress of the students I have been teaching, and organize my adventures in China yet to come. There is still so much I wish to see and do in this incredible country.
John Nanchang China Hi. I am very interested to know how you signed a three year teaching contract. Is it possible you could leave a comment and let me know how you did that and how it works? I'm sure other teachers here in China would be interested to know. Thnaks. John
Wow another reason to return to China! What a beautiful area, Hans! Impressed you did all the stairs- I can appreciate what you accomplished after my time on Huang Shan!
Nanchang is steeped in China's recent history, and is often thought of as the birthplace of The Peoples Republic of China.
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birthplace of The Peoples‘ Liberation Army(PLA).
old Yangzhou Dear Hans, thank you for this new blog with these incredible 102 photos! About 40 years ago, the places you've seen were, however, very quite and much more natural, run-down though but free of entry. The bright colours of the ancient historical places are evidence of the eager for commercialisation.
Hum, the authentic beauty was much more seductive.
Hi from Sue in Latvia! Great to see you off and running again! I have finally been able to upload my photos so expect to see a spate of entries in the next few weeks (17, I believe!) Great to see our city of Yangzhou again! Brings back so many good memories! Please give my regards to everyone! Enjoy your new "extensions"!
After 38 years as a Foreign Language Teacher and Foreign Language Dept. Chair at Coral Gables Sr. H.S., and A.J. Professor of German at the University of Miami, I have left Florida in June of 2006, where my home is in Miami Beach, Florida, USA. I have just signed another year's teaching-contract (my 8th year now) with Taizhou University in the city of Taizhou, located about 3hrs north of Shanghai, in Jiangsu Province, CHINA.
I thought it would be informative for others and rewarding for me personally, to log the progress of my efforts from beginning to end, as a Travel and Photo Jo... full info
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Evaluations
Hans, you write a good travel blog, I grant you that, but you have mainly given us the brochure version of China, with a glossy, sugary coating . My college also has just had its 5-year evaluation, which it too was given top marks, though little has changed in some of the more important, academic aspects of the college. Many of the improvements or changes were superficial or decorative including some incredibly gaudy lights. After the inspection I still see students using text books that have stories about buying gramophone records, or celebrating Christmas in a manner befitting the 1950s. More desks are being put into already overcrowded classrooms to cater for the ever increasing intake of students. I still see students endlessly sleeping or playing with their mobile ‘phones at the back of most classes. We still have teachers who receive little in the way of any kind of professional teacher training. I still see outdated teaching methods, with little innovation employed or understood in classrooms During the inspection, students were forbidden to hold hands or put their arms around each other while on campus. Teachers, including overseas teachers, had to be prepared for snap lesson inspections though it was doubtful if an overseas’ lessons would be inspected. At my wife’s university, my wife had to teach some extra oral lessons, so some students could rehearse what they might say if asked questions by an inspector .. Though, to be fair at an ethical high-street bank I used to work at in England, they too received an award of some kind for ‘investing in people’, but the reality was quite different.