Friday, November 21, 2014

Teaching in Taiwan

Coming to Taiwan to teach is probably one of the best decisions I have made as a professional. Last year, in the states, I was feeling that I should make a career change. I was asking myself if I was really cutout to be a teacher after all. Between changes in the political climate, demands on teachers and how teachers have become the enemy somehow, I was pretty much fed up. Here, I feel a renewed passion for teaching and find this new energy that I thought was gone. 

First, the whole demand for assessment in the states is killing creative teaching. I have given exactly one standardized test here. ONE! Back home I would have spent HOURS testing students for reading and writing and spelling and language use and that's not even the HOURS of standardized tests I would have given between the NWEA and the NECAP. Sheesh! Give us a chance to build a classroom community and get to know our students for a minute. I've done more teaching in the last 4 months than I would have done in 6 months in the states.

Second, parenting is different here. I don't mean is always better because some things I definitely question but when I contact a parent because their child is misbehaving in class or not getting work done, I get a letter of apology from the parent and I see immediate results. IMMEDIATE! Then they thank me for letting them know and check in with me after that. School and education is a priority here and it is such a pleasure to be part of that culture. 

Last, I feel respected here. I feel supported by the administration, fellow teachers and the parents. I get to really teach and they trust that I will do that. Don't get me wrong; it's HARD work. I'm teaching new curriculum in a new international program that I'm just learning, but this type of learning is making me a better teacher. It's not just busy work that has been passed down by an administration or government that doesn't know squat about teaching. I'm working 12 hours a day but I feel like it's all worth it. What a nice change!

That all said, I've thought about if I was still teaching at Longfellow in Portland Maine...

- I wouldn't be turning on my air conditioning in November. Wait, I wouldn't be turning on any air conditioning at all because there isn't any at Longfellow. It is cooler in the mornings/evenings (high 60's) but still gets to the low 80's during the day.

- I wouldn't be delicately, carefully and gingerly taking a gecko off of my classroom wall and just as carefully putting him out on my windowsill. Maybe I should have left him there since they eat mosquitoes!


- I wouldn't be dodging a palm frond outside my classroom as it comes crashing down in the wind.

- I wouldn't be asking the boys in my grade 7 pre-algebra class to stop speaking in Chinese!

- I wouldn't be plugging in a bug zapper to take care of the many mosquitoes yearning for my blood! That's one advantage of living in New England, no mosquitoes in the winter!

- I wouldn't be using a squatting toilet. 

- I wouldn't be wearing flip flops, a skirt and a short sleeved shirt. Mind you I haven't even worn long sleeves or a jacket/sweatshirt of any kind since I got here. I showed my students pictures of Buffalo after this past snowstorm and they were amazed. Many of these kids have never even seen snow so to them it seems impossible.

- I wouldn't be using chopsticks to eat my lunch each day. I definitely wouldn't be buying my lunch from the school canteen AND enjoying it.

- I wouldn't be using Google Classroom, Google Drive, Google Forms and all forms Google to teach. My knowledge about how to use technology in the classroom has tripled - I'm becoming a technology ninja!

- I wouldn't be getting an email from a student at 10:30 p.m. asking for clarification of project requirements. Students check their grades each day and take how they do seriously.

- I wouldn't be discussing activities to celebrate Christmas when it's in the 80's outside.

- I wouldn't be hearing the following: "Ms. Sirois, can I call my driver to bring my homework? I forgot it and I don't want to get in trouble." "Driver!? You have a driver? Well, you can call your driver when I get a driver, which will be never. Next time don't forget your homework."

I may miss my life in the states now and then but the longer I'm here, the less I miss it as I build a circle of friends and keep exploring this amazing city and country. I am so lucky to be here to become the best teacher I can possibly be at an incredible school working with wonderful kids. 






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