Now I am teaching the English major students, I was asked to attend a training session on Wednesday, about a new computer programme I can use with my speaking class. I asked if it was going to be in Chinese, and was told by our liaison teacher it probably would be (regardless of the fact …
Introductions (again)
Yesterday was my first class – the second-year culture class. For some reason, all students except freshers begin in week 1 of the semester. Freshers begin in week 2. Their classes will be pretty straight-forward I think; I intend just to do the same as what I did with my classes last year (the class …
Back to Beijing
I have returned back to Beijing, ready for the new semester to begin next week. There is always a little apprehension about leaving the UK, partly because I become comfortable in a routine, and partly because I am not sure what the next year will bring. It did not help, the fact that my flights …
Summer holidays – Glasgow
A few months ago, during a Skype conversation with my parents, they asked me if I had plans for summer. Other than lesson planning and Chinese lessons, I told them I did not. They then asked whether I would like to join them going somewhere for the week? I said sure, and later found out …
In praise of … praise
It is always nice to receive positive feedback. My students have the opportunity to fill in online comments about their teachers. This is all done in Chinese, but Google translate browser extension translates the Chinese into English. Not everyone has filled in a comment, but it is interesting to read those that have. Maybe because …
Home at last
I returned home at the end of June. It was nice to leave the heat of Beijing, and the weather in recent weeks in the UK has been pretty good. Before I depart to Scotland for a week’s holiday, a friend (in China) asked for an update on life back in Blighty. Brexit has been …
From one end of the campus, to the other
Despite the poor quality of the exam this semester (as well as last), one of the things I have noticed, which makes me smile, is when all the students hear the answers and them down, at the same time. For reasons beyond comprehension, there is no question paper for each individual student. Instead, the questions …
