Tell us about your experience in choosing and working with INFOworks Educational Services Inc. Canada as a recruiter for your teaching position in China. How did we help you to ensure a smooth transition to your school in China?

Peggy Ditchfield and I were referred to Norm Damaren, President of INFOworks, for seeking an ESL placement in Asia by a friend of mine, and former colleague of Norm’s. Within two months of our initial email contact in early July, 2008, Norm had found us a short term contract teaching ESL to elementary students in Weifang, (between Beijing and Shanghai) Shandong Province, China for the autumn semester of 2008! Norm answered all our email and telephone queries promptly, met with us twice to discuss various topics involved in teaching and travelling in China, and connected us with some Canadians who had already taught either in Weifang or at our particular Chinese school. This was invaluable assistance to prepare us for our new life and work in Weifang! Norm also put us in touch with an excellent Toronto travel agent specializing in travel to China. As a recruiter, Norm has been most helpful, supportive and encouraging in every possible way. His assistance, along with our wonderful liason person here at the school, truly made for a very smooth transition!

How have you enjoyed the experience and your personal 'journey' in China?

Living and working in China has truly been an enriching and heart-warming experience in so many ways, despite the few frustrations and challenges that accompany any new opportunity! As a retired high school math teacher in Guelph, I encountered a huge learning curve in coming to teach ESL to primary students in China, but now, my Pooh Bear puppet and I adore our wee grade 1’s!!! Peggy teaches 18 classes (720 students) in grades 2, 4 and 6 while I teach 16 classes (640 students) in grades 1, 3 and 5. We see each class of 40 (usually 20 boys and 20 girls) only once each week! Thus, each week sees us each teaching 8-9 hours a week with only three lesson preps that we repeat. Lessons vary in length from 20 to 35 minutes! No evaluation mark is expected from us. We have workbooks (that each student has) to guide us with our lesson planning. Each class also receives seven periods of English instruction weekly from their Chinese English teacher. Peggy and I also run a one hour extracurricular "English Corner" for about 100 interested students every Friday after school!
 
 

Weifang China-Singapore Bilingual School in Weifang is a very good school! Peggy and I feel very fortunate to be placed in such a good, safe environment with one excellent and patient colleague, Zhang Gang, who speaks superb English, and answers our many questions! We get free room and board here, and live right on the school grounds! The food is delicious! Each apartment comes with a computer, TV, sofa, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, desk, chair, bed, wardrobe, drinking machine, westernstyle toilet, hot water and a bicycle. We have become accustomed to our showers that shower the entire bathroom floor and toilet!

We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity and kindess shown to us by the Chinese people. It is fortuitous that three rivers in Weifang have been beautifully landscaped on both sides with walking paths, plants and trees. Great for escaping the hustle and bustle of the busy streets! Truly, we have ventured, and we have gained! I am grateful I took up the challenge to teach in China (from October 2008 to January 2009)!

What are some "bits" of advice you would give to ESL teachers to help them deal with a significant but an exciting cultural shift?

1. Bring two suitcases ... one for clothes, and the other for teaching materials and resources ... such as coloured construction paper, recipe cards (for flash cards, conversation cards, vocabulary words etc), markers, scotch tape, masking tape, storybooks and puppets galore! We purchased and washed 20 puppets from a Guelph “thrift” store before we departed for China. They have been invaluable for conversation exercises, and as “realia” for bringing to life some of the stories that we read. I purchased one of my suitcases for $6 from Value Village, and plan to leave it here along with all the resources that I brought. This will make it easier for me to travel afterwards within China on trains and airplanes (where only one suitcase is permitted, unless you are willing to pay extra).

2. The internet has been invaluable, in asisting us recall a number of songs, chants, games that ESL children enjoy ... "Going on a Lion Hunt", "Simon Says", "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed", BINGO (song and game!), "Old MacDonald had a Farm" , "If You’re Happy and You Know It!" etc. We have also used the internet to find and show images/pictures related to the topics (eg. circus) we are teaching! "A picture is worth a thousand words!" We download the images onto a flashdrive and plug it into the computer in each classroom here!

3. Bringing your own laptop has its advantages! I brought mine with Skype and a Skype phone account previously set up. I can call other Skypers free, and make inexpensive calls to landlines back in Canada! Having my own laptop here facilitates me editing and organizing my digital photos here before I return home!

4. Teaching Chinese children is just like teaching Canadian children! All types of personalities and temperaments exist here too! Navigating the roads in China as a pedestrian and cyclist is a huge challenge! Be very cautious! Ordering food and tea at a Chinese restaurant can be tricky without an interpreter!! Ditto for using inter-city buses and taxis! Mind you, if you have a Chinese colleague write out your destination in Chinese characters, that greatly facilitates you getting from Point A to Point B more easily!

5. Flexibility, adaptability and patience are key ingredients to coping with the changes that living in a different culture brings! Never expect things to be the same as at home! Few people speak English here. Learning some common Mandarin expressions (eg. Hello, Goodbye, Please, Thank you, You’re welcome!) has been very helpful and appreciated!