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Published: November 13th 2005
This is why...
This was also during MayDay Holiday. She was with group of people that were coming to visit a Church that is not sanctioned or has been forgotten by the Chinese Goverment. Any teacher worth his or her salt comes to a crossroad in their ESL career. Now grant it I have been only teaching for 7 months, so career may be too strong of word, but never the less, I do sometimes wonder why I am teaching.
When I first came to China it was very exciting, fresh faced, bright eyed curious Chinese students hanging on every word, the reactions to telling them things about the USA, or other parts of the world was very fulfilling. But now, well, with all the changes taking place in China, the economy, the struggle for awareness, the Socialist state, the Communist state, it just has stopped making sense anymore.
I suppose the job offers time to see the world, relax, try new foods, be something different than your friends or whatever, but I find it a deeper calling. I do say this, and the title reflects my attitude, what am I teaching, am I teaching them the right things. I stay away from comparative culture, as I find that it is and can be a very explosive talk, and in some cases not good, but most have gone disastrously wrong and even in the most extreme having a Communist party official sitting in on my “subversive” class, talk about scary. But aside from that I struggle with these beautiful children. AM I offering them a better life via English, or am I just the dancing American monkey in front of the class. The former I am most concerned about, because maybe, just maybe 3-10 Chinese students will have the opportunities I have had. I feel bad that this is the reality of my China, but it is true. The latter, being the monkey…hey, if you can’t laugh at yourself then you better not be a teacher in China, or anywhere for that matter.
I say this, offer them hope…lord knows they are for the most part beat down by parents, though well intentioned, but the one child policy is going to bite most of China in its ass. Let them glimpse into a future that 10 years ago was barely thought of. Treat them as adults, let them talk to you and you listen.
Till next time.
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Chris Dalby
non-member comment
Why are you teaching?
Why are you teaching? Because you give them hope. Because despite any desires we have to beat their skulls against the window, we soldier on into blinding adversity with the knowledge that we are getting through. It's a dirty job. It's a sick job. But today at the end of class, a student came to me. She had written an article in her notebook taking my own 'Always forgive, never forget' editorial to pieces. She accused me of not being Chinese, of not understanding. When I finished, I praised her, discussed her rhetoric and she asked me why I was angry as she had disagreed with me. I replied that far from being angry, I would print her article, pay her for it and congratulated her on being both brave and insightful. She walked away with a look in her eyes it would be too debasing to describe. One down. 1.4 billion to go. Care to help me out, Joe? I can't do it alone.