I figured I should write something...

...so I'm basically copying this from a letter I wrote to some friends
from Suzhou. Sorry I haven't written for a while. They moved the
computer out of my room, and I've been busier. And I've got
people/someone to spend time with here so there's less reason to
write. Most of this is talking about some recent problems at school,
nothing too serious, but ranging from annoying to offensive. It might
be kind of funny to read about, for the most part it doesn't get to me
any more, although it's kind of adding up to a jaded cynicism about
TEFL, at least in China, at least here. All told though, my time here
should still finish up pretty well.

First, there's no real curriculum support, no Director of Studies or
anything, which was especially frustrating when I started. The
closest thing is the Chinese boss/principal, Odar, who's teaching
style, umm, leaves a little to be desired, although he does at least
have enthusiasm. Since late February I haven't been trying any harder
than I have to (I'm not proud of it, but, given the lack of support,
I'm afraid my teaching has suffered significantly, and I'm getting
more sleep), and I still do a better job than Odar would.

We're also supposed to make up our own level tests, but there's no
real guidance on what students should know to advance a level. This
really got to me the first time I had to make up a test, I think it
was in early April. I spent the whole day desperately trying to
figure out what the test should be on and ended up settling for a few
pages from a few unit tests in the back of the main book for levels 3
and 4. I also gave a nominal oral examination, which I've since
dropped, since I can usually tell speaking ability from classroom
participation, no one actually checks (or seems to care) whether or
not I've done it, and I don't have any interest in committing extra
time outside of class for something like that. A social night,
dinner, sure, but a fake test... Students to move up is usually based
on teacher recommendations anyway, and then we go through the test
motions for the administration.

Additionally the constant in, out, and up of students makes it hard to
craft a progressive plan for teaching that keeps everyone on the same
page. There's a similar revolving door of teachers, especially since
it's gotten into tourist season, although that's usually more a
problem for the students than for me. It has gotten to the point
though where I actually don't know the names of all the people who've
taught here in the last month or so.

These issues have gotten me into trouble recently, however. It
started when 8 out of 10 students in level 3 asked to test to move up
to level 4. I wouldn't have recommended that any of them be tested,
but they insisted, and there was some pressure from below (level 2
students ready to move up), so I gave them the test I'd concocted. 5
of them passed it, most barely scraping by, and at the weekly meeting
we decided, mostly just to balance the numbers, to move up the three
best (one of whom has since returned to level 3).

The next week was uneventful (although, getting a little lazy, I did
show an episode of "the Simpsons" on the Friday), but then, on the
Tuesday of the following week (last week), Odar called me into his
office to talk about some bad marks I'd gotten on the weekly feedback
form he gives to students (first time he'd ever done that to me, since
I've been here). I don't know how much the testing results played
into that, and there's one student who seems to really enjoy the type
of language learning (?) that involves yelling out English words or
phrases at the top of your lungs, a style I do not go in for.

Anyway, it resulted in Odar sitting in on a couple of classes in level
3 (and when he sits in, he's just as likely to jump up and start
teaching with you as to observe) and eventually spending the last part
of the week teaching level 3 while I got to watch. For the most part
that was really frustrating, since I was still preparing a lesson plan
for each class, I wasn't getting a chance to try to improve my
teaching skills, and Odar was going way too fast for the students. On
Friday he finally realized that the BE book is just a wee bit
challenging (if the sarcasm doesn't come through, go back and read it
in, heavily) for the level, and to teach, especially going at the
speed he did.

Then this morning, Monday, I came in hoping to actually be teaching,
and found Odar introducing a new foreign teacher named Nathan and
saying something about us cooperating. I then had the pleasure of
sitting through his lesson. He seems like a nice enough guy, but,
again, it was frustrating. Fortunately, we've decided that rather
than trying to figure out a way to co-teach the class, he'll just
teach it and I don't have to worry about it, yet, after talking with
Odar, it sounds like I'll still get paid for it. Which is pretty
sweet, in some ways.

But it leads to another gripe, namely that Odar treats the teachers
like gold and the students, not so well. And remember that the
students are one of the elements that made me like the school in the
first place.

Anyway, my girlfriend (yes, I have a girlfriend now, more about her
later, although nearly everyone who's likely to read this probably
already knows about her) decided that she wanted to sell her remaining
month of study so she can go to a different school in Yangshuo, which
is significantly cheaper, and because she, along with most of her
classmates, was dissatisfied with the teachers in level 6. She's been
looking for someone to buy it for a while and finally found someone
this weekend.
But then she had to get Odar to approve it and ended up arguing with
him for several hours, during which he said a variety of unpleasant
things. He even had the gall to say that she was the first student
ever to ask to sell her course, which is completely untrue. I've
known several other good students who have successfully sold their
courses, and while I may have missed having them in class, I didn't
blame them for wanting to go somewhere more cost-effective.

So I kind of think Odar's trying to buy me off with the paid untaught
class, hoping I won't put anything bad about him on the internet. If
I do write up anything, well, I'll do my best to keep it fair. At
least his approach is better than confiscating my passport and forcing
me to sign something saying that I had a great time, which I have
heard of happening other places.

About my girlfriend, her name is Echo and she was a student here (and
I don't think our relationship was at all unethical, as she was in
level 5 when we started dating, would now be in level 6, and I only
teach level 3 and 4). She's from Hunan (during the May 1st Labor Day
holiday we travelled together to her home, which I've got a lot to
write about), recently graduated from university, taught English for a
while, then decided she wanted her own English to be better before she
continued teaching. It's been going very well, but we've agreed to
end it when I leave China (or rather, that was the condition I set for
continuing it while we're here) because, well, I don't think I have
the energy or inclination to keep up a long-distance relationship like
that, and to be frank, and without any disparagement intended towards
Echo, I don't think it would work out as a long-term thing.

I think I'm going to have to end it there for now, want to get in some
taiji this afternoon, but with my newfound basketfuls of free time I
should have another entry written soon. I've got one started, I just
need to finish it.