Something To Show For It.

I wanted to make a last blog post for China.  I know there's still some fun to be had in Hong Kong, but my teaching ends tomorrow.  What have I learnt by coming to China, which could not be learnt in America?  Often here in China I have been left to sink or swim.  In a sense this would of been the same in America.  But, here in China I have been completely left to my own devices, adrift in a strange and foreign land.  I have been forced to forage for myself.  Coming up with lesson ideas, designing them, implementing them, reflecting and modifying, all this has been my responsibility.  With no Coordinating teacher, little outside help, and a language barrier to overcome I have prevailed.  I have grown, learnt, developed an ability to recognize my mistakes, learnt to spot redundant techniques, and then modify or rework that which does not.

I have been challenged.  Teaching primary students has pushed me further than I ever thought.  I have been completely run ragged at times by raging 10 year olds.  I have had to constantly work on my classroom discipline.  This has ranged from being forced to stop teaching a classroom gone crazy to simply being unable to bring a class under control.  I have experimented with different methods with varying degrees of success.  Until finally I had to stop blaming myself and not see this as a flaw in my classroom discipline, but as an opportunity to grow, to learn from the situation, and to reflect and adapt to particular students.

This I hope, will stay with me back in America.  I feel I have laid a foundation.  One that at times seemed cracked, but with work and patience I can build upon.  I feel more prepared to deal with such challenges back in America.  I know I don't have all the answers yet, but I feel China has given me the tools to begin.  I will have already taken the first steps down the unending path of growing as a teacher.  I have already begun to identify what is a flaw in me and what is something I can change.  And by reflecting upon my flaws, I have begun to turn them from weaknesses to strengths.

One such strength China has given me is being able to view the contrast between the Chinese and American education systems.  To be able to view the strengths of the Chinese system: dedicated students, a cultural respect for teachers, classroom discipline, etc.  Alongside its weaknesses: steroid driven rote learning, pressure on students, long school days, corporal punishment, etc.  Has allowed me to contrast this with the strengths and weaknesses of the American system.  Giving me a much wider view of education in general.  This benefits the growing I must do as a teacher.  Giving me a far greater pool of experience, knowledge, and techniques to draw upon or reject.  I also have gained experience and knowledge that other teachers have missed out on. 

I'm sure I would of learnt many of these things by doing my student teaching in America.  But, I chose China.  I pushed myself further, pushed myself into the unknown.  I chose to experience something that has expanded my horizons both as a teacher, and a person.