The summer progressed and much to my surprise, so did my fatigue.
I had not realized that teaching was so draining. I had always approached it with such a happy, carefree feeling, it didn't occur to me that it could beat me down. The final days of the semester were upon us. The students were exhausted and had checked out, so had I.
The last class came and my assigned presentations were due to begin. These are tense times for students, many coming from backgrounds that never allow students to ask questions in class, let alone present material, as if they knew what they were talking about! I had several students get up and talk about the same cultural icons of Chinese culture; tea, the knots, more tea, silk, still more tea, and various cheap goods the Chinese have gotten really good at producing en masse.
One student, in particular, surprised us all, by presenting an aria from an Chinese opera. He opened his mouth and the interesting sounds that came out, I must admit, I have never heard before. He was a tremendous singer, with depth and passion coming from his toes! The students clapped along and knew his song well. After his performance, he bowed and received an amazing round of applause. His smiles were bright and crisp, as if he had been waiting for this moment his whole life. As they filed out the door, and said their goodbyes, I knew I would never see these students again, for they tend to melt into the larger mass of students that is the university body.
I had learned something from this group of students. Many wait their whole lives for a chance to shine and I must be the one to give it to them. I can bring them out of their shell, give them a voice, give them the notion that they matter. Culturally, this is not acceptable where they come from, but it is crucial that they learn this here in America. And I'm just the American to give them their big chance!
Next up, vacation and Fall semester 2008, here we come!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Miles Dyson and Tony
As my summer classes proceeded, Miles Dyson (who was formerly known as Valitudinarian, see former posting) continued to display his strange, aloof behavior. He arrived early, sat and stared straight ahead at the board each day. He was a very good student, just a very strange student. It didn't take long for another student to also pick up that Miles was pretty smart.
Tony (that was his English name) was a goof off. He came to class twice, then was absent for the next three weeks. When he was in class, he would make threatening gestures toward Miles.
When I say threatening gestures, I mean fashioning his hand like a gun, pointing it, and delivering a few bullets at Miles. This was unnerving. This went on for a week or two and then Tony disappeared again.
Test day came and low and behold, Tony showed up to class and sat next to Miles. Hmmm...I thought, that's weird! I gave out the exam and sat down. It was then I realized why these two were seated next to each other. Tony was cheating off Miles and Miles was letting him. I let the two of them go on and then I made my move. I moved quietly toward them, took both their exams and asked them to go outside of the classroom.
Red, shaking and clearly angry that they were caught, they moved quietly. I got outside and quietly asked, "What is going on here?" No explanation, just blank stares. Again, "what is going on, do you, Miles want to tell me what is going on here?" No, he said. Tony was shaking and red.
I looked at Tony and said " Why are you sitting next to Miles today?" "You never sit next to Miles, in fact, I've seen you make threats towards him in class." Silence!
I told the both of them they flunked this test. I then instructed Tony to go back to class.
I asked Miles again, "Did Tony ask you to cheat?" "No" Miles said.
I was astonished, I thought Miles would crack.
Back at the office, I spoke to my colleague about what happened in class. She was more in tune with Asian culture than I was and informed me that this was normal. "Huh," I said sheepishly.
Bullying is a big problem within this culture, one is the bully, the other is the victim. The victim stays quiet for fear of being found out. The bully continues to press and get his way. I busted up the arrangement. Great, I thought, poor Miles. If he shows up with a black eye to class tomorrow, I'll know what happened. I went home that night thinking this was going to end badly. Culturally, I could not let this stand, I had to teach them both that in America, we don't cheat, we don't lie (except if you happen to be a politician, banker, the Goldman Sachs CEO or a priest) and we are not operating under Chinese cultural expectations.
Much to my surprise, Tony did not return to school. Miles did not show up with a black eye.
In the end, Tony ended up flunking my class. Miles went on to school to study economics and I learned a big lesson. Be fearless! Engage the students regardless of the outcome.
Question is, can I remember this for the next time?
Tony (that was his English name) was a goof off. He came to class twice, then was absent for the next three weeks. When he was in class, he would make threatening gestures toward Miles.
When I say threatening gestures, I mean fashioning his hand like a gun, pointing it, and delivering a few bullets at Miles. This was unnerving. This went on for a week or two and then Tony disappeared again.
Test day came and low and behold, Tony showed up to class and sat next to Miles. Hmmm...I thought, that's weird! I gave out the exam and sat down. It was then I realized why these two were seated next to each other. Tony was cheating off Miles and Miles was letting him. I let the two of them go on and then I made my move. I moved quietly toward them, took both their exams and asked them to go outside of the classroom.
Red, shaking and clearly angry that they were caught, they moved quietly. I got outside and quietly asked, "What is going on here?" No explanation, just blank stares. Again, "what is going on, do you, Miles want to tell me what is going on here?" No, he said. Tony was shaking and red.
I looked at Tony and said " Why are you sitting next to Miles today?" "You never sit next to Miles, in fact, I've seen you make threats towards him in class." Silence!
I told the both of them they flunked this test. I then instructed Tony to go back to class.
I asked Miles again, "Did Tony ask you to cheat?" "No" Miles said.
I was astonished, I thought Miles would crack.
Back at the office, I spoke to my colleague about what happened in class. She was more in tune with Asian culture than I was and informed me that this was normal. "Huh," I said sheepishly.
Bullying is a big problem within this culture, one is the bully, the other is the victim. The victim stays quiet for fear of being found out. The bully continues to press and get his way. I busted up the arrangement. Great, I thought, poor Miles. If he shows up with a black eye to class tomorrow, I'll know what happened. I went home that night thinking this was going to end badly. Culturally, I could not let this stand, I had to teach them both that in America, we don't cheat, we don't lie (except if you happen to be a politician, banker, the Goldman Sachs CEO or a priest) and we are not operating under Chinese cultural expectations.
Much to my surprise, Tony did not return to school. Miles did not show up with a black eye.
In the end, Tony ended up flunking my class. Miles went on to school to study economics and I learned a big lesson. Be fearless! Engage the students regardless of the outcome.
Question is, can I remember this for the next time?
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Yes, women are emotional and stupid!
One of my favorite things about teaching is discovering what various cultures think about gender. It is no surprise (and this may sound ethnocentric) that Americans are a bit more ahead
than the rest of the world when it comes to this particular subject. I think this because, by now, I've had way too many conversations where I end up exasperated and shocked.
Case in point, my summer session students had a chapter dealing with gender roles. I planned exercises to get them to share what they know about gender and we created discussion groups, creating questions and answers. What I wasn't prepared for was the blatant remarks made by, no, not the men, but the women! One young lady insisted, "Women are too weak, they cry all the time?" I said, "Really? You're a woman, do you cry all the time?" Oh no, not me, I mean women.
"Ok, I said, why do you think women are weak?" "Because that's true," she said. My students have issues defending their answers with meaningful analysis.
I proceed to spend some time trying to talk about stereotypes, how it is defined and present some stereotypes about both men and women. I state, "men are strong and don't cry" Yes, this is true, they all agree. No, I quip, this is a stereotype. "Women cry and are weak", oh yes, this is true. No, I say again, this is not true, this is a stereotype. "No, women are emotional and stupid", yells one young woman. Shocked, I remain standing, looking into the faces of these people.
It is at times like this when I realize that my mission isn't to try and convince them of something that they themselves have never thought of. My mission is to try and get them to think, period!
Yeah, good luck with that!
than the rest of the world when it comes to this particular subject. I think this because, by now, I've had way too many conversations where I end up exasperated and shocked.
Case in point, my summer session students had a chapter dealing with gender roles. I planned exercises to get them to share what they know about gender and we created discussion groups, creating questions and answers. What I wasn't prepared for was the blatant remarks made by, no, not the men, but the women! One young lady insisted, "Women are too weak, they cry all the time?" I said, "Really? You're a woman, do you cry all the time?" Oh no, not me, I mean women.
"Ok, I said, why do you think women are weak?" "Because that's true," she said. My students have issues defending their answers with meaningful analysis.
I proceed to spend some time trying to talk about stereotypes, how it is defined and present some stereotypes about both men and women. I state, "men are strong and don't cry" Yes, this is true, they all agree. No, I quip, this is a stereotype. "Women cry and are weak", oh yes, this is true. No, I say again, this is not true, this is a stereotype. "No, women are emotional and stupid", yells one young woman. Shocked, I remain standing, looking into the faces of these people.
It is at times like this when I realize that my mission isn't to try and convince them of something that they themselves have never thought of. My mission is to try and get them to think, period!
Yeah, good luck with that!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Boston has the sky
I would arrive to class on a beautiful summer's morning ready to go. I would hop off my scooter, tie it up, and race into the building.
On this particular morning I found Nathan in the middle of the grassy area outside of the buildling. He was staring into the abyss, with a smile on his face a mile wide. I naturally looked up to see what he was staring at, but there was nothing there. I decided to call out to him and ask him what he was doing.
"Look, he said, Boston has the sky". "Um.....yes, that's the sky", I said. He kept staring. I walked into the building thinking his statement was bizarre. Later, he came into class and started talking about blue the sky. He seemed particularly amazed as he continued to talk. It was then that he told me he came from Beijing, and he had never seen the color of the sky before. I laughed, but he didn't, he insisted the sky over Beijing was a sour red and gray color, like a veil of smoke and as a child and as a young adult, he never had seen such a color before. The crystal clear blue of the endless sky and Boston's clear heavens abounding gave him such delight.
Several mornings after our sky talk, I found Nathan again, outside staring into the abyss. I stopped to stare into it with him. It was then, that I realized my student had given me something I didn't know I was grateful for; an appreciation for activism and regulation. Then, as I walked to the door to disappear into my classroom, I whispered a small thank you to the people who came before me who thought it was important to install regulations and laws on industry. I will never forgot my sky loving student, he gave me an appreciation for something I see almost every single day.
On this particular morning I found Nathan in the middle of the grassy area outside of the buildling. He was staring into the abyss, with a smile on his face a mile wide. I naturally looked up to see what he was staring at, but there was nothing there. I decided to call out to him and ask him what he was doing.
"Look, he said, Boston has the sky". "Um.....yes, that's the sky", I said. He kept staring. I walked into the building thinking his statement was bizarre. Later, he came into class and started talking about blue the sky. He seemed particularly amazed as he continued to talk. It was then that he told me he came from Beijing, and he had never seen the color of the sky before. I laughed, but he didn't, he insisted the sky over Beijing was a sour red and gray color, like a veil of smoke and as a child and as a young adult, he never had seen such a color before. The crystal clear blue of the endless sky and Boston's clear heavens abounding gave him such delight.
Several mornings after our sky talk, I found Nathan again, outside staring into the abyss. I stopped to stare into it with him. It was then, that I realized my student had given me something I didn't know I was grateful for; an appreciation for activism and regulation. Then, as I walked to the door to disappear into my classroom, I whispered a small thank you to the people who came before me who thought it was important to install regulations and laws on industry. I will never forgot my sky loving student, he gave me an appreciation for something I see almost every single day.
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