More quotes from Chinese students!

"We come to school in order to be a nature boy, do something we can do. Just do it!"
- Chen Ya Feng





"Children often behave let people feel green apple"
- Li Xu





"University students should learn how to be a human"
- Li Xu

中文

我叫超人.我有两个弟弟,一个妹妹.
我是美国人.我会说一点中文,但是我说的不好.
我二十八岁. 我住在长沙.我要去沈阳.
我每天学习中文,可是 “My Chinese is so poor!”
我的爱好是睡觉和吃饭.
我想中文很难!! 我写的不好.

This girl is beautiful.

Marriage Lesson Plan Worksheet #1 (Work in Progress)

Marriage or wedlock is an interpersonal relationship (usually intimate and sexual) with governmental, social, or religious recognition. It is often created by a contract or through civil processes. Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a governmental institution.
The most common form of marriage unites one man and one woman as husband and wife. Other forms of marriage also exist: for example, polygamy—in which a person takes more than one spouse (marriage partner)—is common in many societies. In some jurisdictions civil marriage has been expanded to include same-sex marriage.
People marry for many reasons, but usually one or more of the following: legal, social and economic stability; the formation of a family unit; procreation and the education and nurturing of children; legitimizing sexual relations; public declaration of love; or to obtain citizenship.
A marriage is often declared by a wedding ceremony, which may be performed either by a religious officiant, by a secular government-sanctioned officiator, or (in weddings that have no church or state affiliation) by a trusted friend of the wedding participants. The act of marriage usually creates obligations between the individuals involved, and in many societies, their extended families.
1.) What is civil marriage?
2.) Describe the most common form of marriage.
3.) What is polygamy?
4.) A marriage is often declared by what?
Vocabulary Words: Break each vocabulary word up into syllables: 名 音节;一言
Syl-la-bles
intimate: 形 亲切的;亲密的;直接的 process: 名 进行;方法;工程;制作;传票
recognition: 名 认知;承认;表彰 concept: 名 概念
civil: 形 市民的;文职的;凡俗的;文明的 legitimize: 动 使合法
institution: 名 公共团体 名 惯例;制度;设置;制定圣餐式;授任圣职
form: 名 形状;表格纸;仪式;姿势;种类 动 养成;组织;明白发音;形成;作成队行
unite: 动 弄成一体;结合;使联合;使合 exist: 动 实在;存在;现存;生存;活著
jurisdiction: 名 裁判权;各种权 expand: 动 使膨大.扩张;详述;使发展
reason: 名 理由;理智;前提;思考;推论 stability: 名 安定;复原力;坚固
procreation: 名 生产;生殖 nurture: 名 养育;教育;营养物;后天性的
declaration: 名 宣告;宣言书;公布 obtain: 动 得到;获得;达到;实行;流行
citizenship: 名 市民身份;国籍 secular: 形 现世的.非宗教性的
obligation: 名 义务;约束;契约 extended: 形 广大的;长期的;扩大的

One reason why I'm glad to be back in China...

....maybe two reasons actually.

Firstly, I'm making more than double what I made the first year I worked here (2003-2004) and secondly, the strength of the RMB has increased.

When I first came here in 2003 8 RMB was equal to $ 1 USD but now 7 RMB is worth $1 USD.

That may not sound like much but it actually adds up and even though I'm making less than I would in the US I'm still living in a rent-free apartment and not having to do any office hours.

I teach 13 different classes a week but I pretty much only have to plan about 2 different lessons a week and just deliver both multiple times.

Each class is 2 "academic" hours long and one "academic" hour is 45 minutes so I'm actually working less than 26 hours a week.

However, I do usually spend a few hours (or more) preparing each lesson. There are times when I'm feeling a bit lazy or am just busy doing Visa-type stuff and I just follow the textbook but I prefer to come up with my own material or find something interesting on-line to talk about. (I also spend a LOT of time GRADING papers....and I have something like 200-300 students so do the math).

I just did a lesson on Basketball (with a few classes, kind of an experiement) this week and got a pretty good response from my classes because Chinese people LOVE basketball which I don't think many people in the West realize. I definetly never realized it until about 5 years ago.

Anyway, I have one class a week where I teach English to Chinese Teachers and I asked them if there were any topics they wanted to discuss for the next class and one of them said "Marriage" (something I know little about...I'm a 28 year-old bachelor!) so I guess that's what I'll be doing next week.

The Elephant Man

This week in school I am giving my students a worksheet which is blank aside from a single picture of "The Elephant Man" who none of my students are familiar with.

Their task is to create a biography about the Elephant Man based solely on his picture and a list of questions I provide them with.

Here is Jiang Kun's written response (April 10, 2008):

A story about Tim. Tim is a great man. He was born in 1963. He all stay in hometown, and he town is a beautiful city. he have two son and a daughter. His wife is a teacher. His mother and father was die in 1976.

Tim work in University professor. He teach history. In 1980, He compile a best seller. it name is "Time And History". The book descript relation between time and history. Because this book, make he famous for word.

Afterwards, He spend 10 years research chinese history and in succession compile "Descrip China", "Chinese History And World History" and so on.

So, I think he is a great man. He contribution to World culture. But very regretful, in 1999 He was die in heart disease.

Our cherish the menory of Tim forever!

Ding Sai (April 10, 2008):

Long-long ago, a boy who named Jeames was borned in a volige in 1889.

As he is a child, he lik sports very much, especially basketball. Also, he like swimming and athers too.

But when he growed, he like knowledge very much. He think knowledge can change the world. He is very friendly and also help people. So, he is a man who was popular in his country. There are 4 people in his family, his sister Jely, his father and his mother.

When he was 25, he was married wich a beautiful girl who named kitty. After 5 mach, he was found a job about research knowledge in a large city. He is not only research knowledge but also write book. So, he was already write many famous book. He was died in 1980. After he died, He leave many wealth for people, especiely knowledge and spirit. So, people will never forget him.....

*** Obviously, there are a lot of errors (and many are amusing) but I'm still pretty satisfied with both of these essays because the students' were able to express themselves in English well enough to wear most readers will be able to figure out what they are trying to say. My job is to come in and fix the errors and help them improve their grammar which isn't too tough (obviously) but it is rather time consuming when I have a stack of 300 essays to read and correct!

Zeng Jie Fu (April 8, 2008):

He name was devil.

He was born in hell.

He spend his life in hell.

Li Wan Yan (April 8, 2008):

His name is Kobe. He was born in American. He spends his life for basketball. He was born in 1980. He spends his life in NBA. His personality is special, irritable and confident. He have two children and a very bueatful wife. his job is NBA professional player. his hobbies is lots of sports such as football, baseball and so on. He is a great basketball player. He is hero in my heart. In my mind, "Anything is possible" is from his action. His is the great star in the world and he has many funs in China. Because I'm his funs, too.

International Jam Session in Changsha, China April 2008 (East meets West)

Slav, another teacher at my school, I and two Chinese guys we met are giving (another) performance at school this week and since we are pressed for time we just decided to do a couple of covers.

Here we are rehearsing "Song 2" by Blur. It's definetly not perfect and could be better but it's a start.

Regardless, it feels good to be playing music again.

BAF