Classes are long done, and students are off at home (being bored) so I thought now would be a good time to give you a peek into what a typical class looks like. Here is a picture of the students all being quiet and well behaved. I’ll be honest and
Birthday Barbeque
A little more than 2 years ago, I started this blog. And just about 2 years ago I wrote about my birthday. What did I do to celebrate the big 3-3 back in 2009? Well, let’s take a ride in the way back machine and see. But yes, today is
A Peek into the Boy's Dormitory
Between my apartment and the classroom lies the boy’s dormitory. I go by it often, daily, and sometimes see my students waving to me from their balconies. “Get to class!” I always yell up to them. “You’re going to be late!” So the buildings are familiar, and yet, I have
Star Wars Day has Come a Little Early
This semester is my busiest semester since arriving to China. My contract stipulates that I should only be teaching 16 hours, yet this semester I find myself teaching 20. Teaching extra hours, above and beyond your contract is basically a teaching no-no. In China there are many disreputable schools that
Letters Across the Pacific
Last year, my friend Erick and I came up with an idea. Erick teaches writing (among other subjects) to 5th graders in Massachusetts, and I teach writing to college sophomores. Was there a way we could somehow bridge the Pacific and have the students interact with each other through writing?
One Year Later
One year ago today I was getting off a plane in Shanghai to begin my Chinese adventure. One year ago I was waking up only an hour after I fell asleep, feverish and confused in my surroundings due to extreme jetlag. One year ago today I was walking into stores
Showing off my Students
The bulk of my time has been spent teaching students and yet I haven’t really talked much about it. The semester is just about over and all in all, I feel like it has been an huge success and I am looking forward to teaching another year. In fact, the
Welcome Back Gifts
Have I said yet how nice my students are? They have just returned after a month and a half long break and many have brought us presents. Of course this being China the gifts are not what you might expect. No paperweights or apple magnets with a little cute saying.
The 6-Month Report Card
We have now officially been here for six-month and it feels equal part much longer and much shorter. In a short half a year period I have taught my first semester of school ever, traveled hundreds of miles all over China and managed to feel comfortable in a culture which