Integrating Aboriginal Culture into the Rest of ON

Background: As apart of the Trent U ABQ course, we are looking at the possibilities and implications of adapting the Aboriginal Studies into the rest of ON, WHY NOT!?


Why not learning about another culture, language or peoples? Really? I mean, without saying that its quite the same as when a teacher takes it upon themselves to become a member of a Catholic School Community or non-native french speaker integrates themselves into a French Immersion School Community. On some level I feel there is a moment where education needs ensure that teachers have the training they need to meet the needs of their students.

To be frank, I thought it was a mandatory course through my concurrent education year. I must say that it was extremely helpful with experiences after during teacher's college.

Students in public schools and Catholic schools of ON are living in a bubble when it comes to the foundations and history of Canada. The Social Studies curriculum begins preparing them for what is to come in the high school history education but by that time the students have already developed a conception that Canada is and always was a culture mosaic. To extent “Canada” itself has always been, but it was what came before that which is important.

The curriculum that is offered now begins to tie up the loose ends of the past educational curriculum but needs to offer more than a bit of knowledge to help students truly understand where Canada came from. The native people lived by a simple philosophy in life and once the Europeans arrived, things became complicated. A modern world mingling with a world that didn’t want to remove itself from what had always been. Not unlike today, there are many traditions that these cultures (we call the First Nations) have many beliefs that offer more than animism and theism in general. Their teachings offer a fundamental respect for all living things and that is what kept their cultures alive for the amount of time it has.

This fundamental belief of respect for one another (including the earth itself) is a crucial teaching that applies further than simple religion and language but also into the basic science elementary school students learn. Biodiversity, food chains, etc.

The reading of culture and tradition is poetry in itself. The Ojicree practice chanting that offers teachings and stories in many different respects. The students we teach in our schools are indeed learning English but why can’t they also be observing another language’s translated chants or scripts of dialogue, etc. This allows students to view a text from a different viewpoint. The teachings of cultures are applicable to language arts on most levels. Yes, they would most likely need to be translated but its not as if they are not already.

Overall, the idea of learning about indigenous studies is a matter of developing understanding of the world around us, and respect for not just fellow Canadians, but other humans. This is not just an English world, or a French World, is multi-cultural and just as we show willingness to work closely with one culture, we certainly should for all.

J/I ABQ: A Small Bit on Supporting ELL in a Classroom

Background: I am completing an online J/I ABQ course through Trent University, Module questions and discussion points I am coming up with will be posted here...Why not?

Educators can support ELL learners through a number of ways. I am no expert but I have been doing this for the last two years, a lot of what I had read are things that we practice on a regular basis and need to continually practice and harness as students are becoming privy to language dodging technology.

There are apps out in the app stores that allows people to take pictures and translate specifically highlighted words with their fingers at which point the app will translate the words in the picture into whatever language asked for. This is helpful as well as damaging. The pros to technology like this are the ease of access of materials and that could be important in serious situations or scenarios. With that being said though, there will be a dependency on technology like this if students cannot first learn how to differentiate between a “must have translated for me”, and a “learning point”. There are situations in the classroom or reading tasks with students that they will innately grab at their cellphone for without practicing or appraoching the word verbally first. In these highschool students, we can see a crutch already present in students who are less familiar with English speaking or reading.

As teachers we can offer assistance and support in a number of ways. Just as the French immersion schools work to teach French with a strict rule of French speaking only in the schools, our international school strives for that using English as the immersion language. In this environment students usually revert to native tongue when speaking with different individuals around the school but they know that most of their teachers do not speak Chinese. Classroom norms of tem building and cooperation between students is important because they will continually rely on one another in class throughout classroom activities and further understanding of the work.

Teachers offer tutorials which is an hour or so after school in which students can receive 1:1 assistance with homework or areas of challenge assisted by the teacher, students with more familiarity in the subject.

Personally, strategies in reading is where I am working on assisting my students the most. The BC curriculum pushes to have students complete “cold writes” which is something we know students struggle with, they need to be able to read a prompt and/or text and respond accordingly depending on the type of essay asked they write.

Grammar help through technology, websites, apps, things I can introduce them to 1:1 that they can use at home to assist them is one way I choose to support my language learners. These students do not have WIFI in their dorms and usually travel long distances to go home for weekends and holidays. Technology offers them chances to complete work and realize that their technology is not merely for game playing and messaging friends. It has been a struggle but I have also been teaching the students how to work on technology to complete essays and other assignments, offering small skill testing tasks in English to help them improve their abilities to read and comprehend instruction as well as communicate with other students using the Edmodo.com classroom I setup for the class.

For ELL students their fall back is usually websites, resources, and research that stems from their mother tongue. The students should be completing the work in English, they often times are unsure where to find or even how to start research in the second language (especially when Google is blocked). Baidu and Navier are examples of search engines in other languages that the students fall back on. As a teacher, one can offer a list of places to a) find resources in English; and b) a few beginning resources to use.

In Math students are introduced to vocabulary and not only number solving problems but also word problems. In class the best cases are when students find themselves confused by Canadian iconic names, and cultural references such as “The top of a medium Tim Hortons cup has a height of 6cm and a radius of…” Students will not only be learning the basics of math conception but the cultural knowledge of Canadian (former Canadian at least) brands and concepts. These are class learning points that when divided up throughout a unit can be empowering and enlightening or students emigrating to Canada or planning to study in Canada at the very least.

Experiences in HFC3M: Flours, Baking and Dirty Life Hacks in the Kitchen

Ever try baking? Ever try baking without checking to ensure you have all the necessary ingredients? Ugh, ya me neither, this is more of a prevention or warning to any other folks who are "cautious" as well.

So as a Foods teacher with NO experience baking in the past before getting to MLIS in China (Dalian), I was excited, scared and embarrassed. I was seen as an individual who could rip through a kitchen and whip something of nothing, which is true. This is because I know and love spices, you give me tomatoes, potatoes, a spice rack and 20 mins, I'll make it happen. #truestory

I knew little to nothing about baking, in fact I could spell the word, eat the food made and tell you I needed flour and an oven. Other than that I had no internal ambition to bake...until I did, then it was like wildfire. I baked till I wanted to blow my brains out cause of how much cleaning I had to do at the end of the day. To this day (literally) I still find myself in baking situations that are well bordering insane sometimes. Too much to do at once for one person on a work night? Meh, bring it, I have tackled worse.

After two and a bit years spent here in China working as a Foods teacher (among other things), I have learned that although you make changes, there are more changes to make each year, or things you tend to let slip from your mind. This is the first of many "Culinary Arts" Teacher blogs to come.

This first one is on flour, the base to every baked good.Flour is not exactly healthy but its not exactly bad, its like everything else in life, too much will kill you (like if you fall into a vat of flour?) and not enough...won't kill you? There is however insensitivity to Wheat, also known as "I can't eat gluten, do have gluten free.." "SHUT UP!" Sorry, I don't have anything against people who "can't" eat gluten, I just get sick of folks posing as such because they think its bad...eat less bread and more fruits if you don't like it, freak! Although I shouldn't say that, maybe the person is diabetic as well right?


I came across this in my studies of flour, gluten and health,
"Wheat allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to wheat protein. In someone who is sensitive to wheat protein, exposure to it can trigger an allergic reaction that may result in a skin rash, itching, swelling, trouble breathing, wheezing and other symptoms. ... Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye." American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology © 2014

There it is stated on a very open, very public and very credible website, but for every point you make there are three rebuttals, so, let's hear it, leave a comment :)

Aside from this I also came across the following,
"Two words these days that make any allergist sigh: gluten allergy. “Gluten has been blamed for all that ails humanity,” Stukus says. But there are only three disorders you can attribute to gluten on a scientific basis, he says: celiac disease, wheat allergies and non-celiac gluten sensitivity." (Melissa Dahl, 2013, Today Morning Show)
--> I pinned the video to my pintrest board if you would like to use it or view it

Cool? Alright, so we talked about risks and issues with gluten/flour, but now the practical use and application of it in a kitchen. In my research I came across a great resource,

http://www.cheatsheet.com/life/9-types-of-flour-what-they-are-and-how-to-use-them.html/?a=viewall

-->Check it out!


1. All-Purpose Flour

 
All-purpose flour, or white flour, is the most commonly used type of flour, reports the Wheat Foods Council. This variety of flour is made from a blend of soft and hard wheat, and can be used in any number of baked food products. This type of flour is a source of several B vitamins (thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and folic acid) as well as iron. Around 95 percent of white flour sold in the U.S. is enriched, meaning that these nutrients were re-added to the substance after being removed during processing.

 
2. Bread Flour

 
Bread flour is quite similar to all-purpose flour, the chief difference being that it has a greater content than the all-purpose variety. The Wheat Foods Council reasons that a high gluten content is optimal for the production of yeast breads. For this reason, bread flour is widely milled for use in commercial baking (it can, however, be found in most grocery stores) as well. The Huffington Post adds that bread flour has a greater amount of protein than the all-purpose variety.

 
3. Cake Flour

 
Cake flour is very finely milled from soft wheat, writes the Huffington Post, giving it an almost silky feel. It has a low protein content and is used for a wide variety of baked goods, cakes, cookies, and quick breads in particular. Cake flour is higher in starch and lower in protein than bread flour, meaning that food products made with cake flour are generally tender and more delicate. The Wheat Foods Council notes that you can make a cup of cake flour by measuring out 1 cup of all-purpose flour, removing 2 tablespoons of flour, and replacing with 2 tablespoons of corn starch.

 
4. Pastry Flour

 
Pastry flour is made from soft wheat, and is generally finer than all-purpose flour. Its traits fall somewhere between those of cake and all-purpose flours, and — as you may have assumed — it is most often used in pastry baking. Pastry flour can also be used for foods such as crackers, cakes, and cookies, writes the Wheat Foods Council. It has a greater amount of protein, and less starch, than cake flour.

 
5. Whole-Wheat Flour

 
As the name suggests, whole-wheat flour is made by grinding entire kernels of red wheat. This process results in a darker brown flour, which is relatively high in nutrients and dietary fiber, writes the Wheat Foods Council. The presence of bran in whole-wheat flour means inhibits gluten development, thus, items baked with whole wheat flour are generally denser than those produced with white flour. To counteract this effect, some bakers will add more gluten (about 1 tablespoon per cup of whole wheat flour used). Alternately, some bakers prefer to subdue the strong wheat flavor of whole-wheat flour by blending it with all-purpose flour.
6. White Whole-Wheat Flour
White whole-wheat flour offers the same nutritional qualities that are offered by whole-wheat flour. However, white whole-wheat flour is ground from hard white wheat, yielding a paler tint and a subtler wheat flavor than the alternative, writes the Huffington Post. Some bakers blend it with all-purpose flour, resulting in heartier and healthier results than a strictly all-purpose flour food product would.
7. Oat Flour
Oat flour is gluten-free, making it a popular choice for all dieters who prefer to avoid gluten. Livestrong notesthat while it can be purchased at some grocery stores, it is quite simple to make at home — simply grind dried oats in your food processor or blender until they have become a fine powder. Each 1¼ cups of oats will yield 1 cup of oat flour. Oat flour is a bit sweeter than whole wheat flour, so bakers may wish to adjust their recipes in kind. Because it is gluten-free, oat flour can sometimes yield crumbly baked goods. Seasoned bakers combat this issue by adding more liquid ingredients to their recipes to make up for the lack of gluten.
8. Self-Rising Flour
Self-rising flour is a type of all-purpose flour that contains both salt and a leavening agent. The Wheat Foods Council reports that one cup of self-rising flour contains 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt, meaning that it can be used as a substitute for all-purpose flour — so long as you reduce added salt and baking powder amounts proportionately. Self-rising flour is frequently used in biscuits and quick breads, but is not recommended for use in yeast breads.
9. Semolina
Semolina is made from the coarsely ground endosperm of durum wheat, which is the hardest variety of the 6 classes of wheat. The Wheat Foods Council reports that semolina has the highest protein content of all types of wheat, which makes it an ideal base ingredient for high-quality pasta and couscous. This type of flour is very rarely used to make bread.
When you find yourself running short of Cake Flour, SUPER COMMON, TELL ME ABOUT IT, RIGHT!? Who knows, maybe it went bad, you got worms, things happen...What do you do though, Birthday cake is needed, you had a bottle of wine and can't drive to the store...in China we just call...a guy, cake guy, suit guy, baby guy...you know...a guy. But in North America or other places, maybe we can't, so we need to make do with what we have and because All Purpose flour can last a REALLY LONG TIME and is so much more common than cake flour, we can use that to our advantage and make our own cake flour,

 
1 cup AP flour - 2 Tablespoons AP flour + 2 Tablespoons cornstarch = 1 cup cake flour
for Math majors it looks something like this (240x-30x)+30=240y ...this is why I don't teach math...

SO, WHY!? Why would someone be more likely to have AP Flour (as we call it in the biz) instead of most others? Rancidity for one, worms for another...

AP Flour last longer than most, and like most guidelines, expiry dates are...guidelines...Rumours have it that if you have worms, you can freeze or refrigerate your flour to kill them...interesting...
Some flours can be refrigerated or frozen as well to preserve them.
I don't mean to cut this short but, its been great. I am calling it a night, if you have any questions for your friendly neighborhood MLIS Foods...I mean Culinary Arts teacher, let me know :)
Mr. Bono

Travel Opportunities

International Teacher Status-Arguably the best status to have ass a teacher. I mean, you have some many opportunities! The other side to that conversation is that there is not a place you really call home in most cases. If you are someone who is very family orientated, maybe internationally teaching is not your calling, but why not make it a chapter of your life for a year or two?

I swear by international teaching. I am an English teacher, therefore very biased and a bit crazy but I promise you an unforgettable experience. Good or bad, it will be unforgettable. Usually it depends on the person and the research conducted as well as questions asked before accepting a job internationally. I was very persistent and waited till the absolute last minute to make the acceptance of my opportunity. For that reason I feel my experience has been exactly what I had hoped it became.

It is hard for me to directly speak to my experiences as a benchmark for other teachers who go international because I have met some really miserable individuals who swear they would never return or care to work in China again, yet, here they are completing "x" amount of years at our school or in some cases going to an even more "interesting" location (as if they were not depressing enough to be around already).

You meet many individuals, you see a lot of interesting things but most of all you learn the most you ever could about yourself than you ever have (in my experiences at least).

I recommend using the assistance of "teacher horizons", search associates offers the same assistance except they charge you out the rear end and sometimes have representatives or associates with very poor attitude and work ethic.

Another possible inquiry into potential jobs when job searching is asking if the school has AdvancEd Accreditation "AdvancEd" (American Non-Profit Accreditation Association). This is an organization that tries to categorize schools based on a full inspection of the school's growth plan, facilities and staff. It could be a good way of inquiring about how certain schools are ranked or categorized compared to other schools. It is very difficult information to get unless the school flat out tells you or hands you the report about it.

Things to consider and think about,

CB

Experiences in PPL3O: Paintball...and firearms?

An activity day includes exactly that, a day of activity. Activity, such an arbitrary term, for some it may scream outdoor activity; for others it could simply meaning classroom film time. Regardless of what activity means to you, there was an event at our school that led to an activity day being called. All teachers needed to participate in an activity OR set up an activity that students would also participate in.

The events needed to be large enough that they generated enough student interest to make it worth the accumulation of teachers. Every teacher was on deck (or supposed to be) that day.

One of the events (an awesome event choice I might add) proposed was, "Paintball". Why? How? No way! So you think, as did the teacher who proposed it. The idea was approved, 100+ students were enrolled and the buses were late. It was happening...

The bus made its way to the hunting club (it was not known that it was a hunting club before going), the manager of the club was advertising the paintball and laser tag around town constantly and also offered some decent deals on the activity for students and teachers. As a first time event on a scale this big, it went well for the teacher. The students were excited to be going; safe and well taken care of. The teachers involved did a good job, for the most part. Money was handled well and it was a very memorable event. It turns it was more memorable for some more than others.

The students when finished on the field were allowed to go get an ice cream from the main hut and sit in the sun by the bus, what teachers didn't know is that a lower level of the grounds, there was a shooting range. The owner took students sitting there, down to the range as the students were curious and inquiring. A teacher noticed the manager walking students down and approached them out of concern and responsibility.

The teacher was trying to ask the students what was going as the teacher had no idea what was being said in Chinese. This had proven to be the Achilles heel to the whole event. The students and teacher were talking and there was translating which was very vague. The manager walked away and came back with a hand gun and clip. The teacher became nervous and a student reached for it. The teacher unsure what to do demanded the student stop and took the others to find a teacher. The student had began firing shots into the range and the manager idly stood by smiling. The student paid the manager and ran back up to the group. The teacher couldn't find the other teachers who were still on the field at the time and went back down to discuss what had happened with the students and the manager. After being talked down by the students who were explaining it is fine, it is safe, it is okay, etc. (because in China, screw the rules and law enforcement right?), they also participated in the activity thinking, "well, TIC" (This is China). Pictures made their way by students to a social media platform which became quite problematic for the other teachers as well.

A day later the other teachers found out about the full story and event which was discussed and appropriately dealt with. the interesting part to this, was the parent's response.

The teacher wrote an apology letter to each set of parent s(well, one that was meant for each set of parents), some responded with "thank you for letting us know, that is okay." and the others simply, didn't respond at all.

So, when preparing an activity for a school event (especially in Canada), beware of certain "unexpected features", you never know when you will be on the right side of the gun in the wrong situation. Needless to say, everyone is safe and learned something important, but in the future...this activity will not occur again.

Teachers, might I recommend viewing OPHEA (more than just a set of safety guidelines for Ontario Physical Education Teachers.

CB  

Experience in GLC2O/CHV2O: Planning 10 (1st Year Teacher Status)

I arrive to China-just graduated, said hello to the family in the summer, travelled to Costa Rica, finally dropped everything and moved on out to China. No idea what this is going to be like, where I am going to be living or what to expect.

I mean, ya, there are projections, what to expect-no toilets, dirty streets, bad health care?; what I am teaching-english...11 or 12? where I am going to live-teacher dorms, a concrete shell? But how many of those things ever really end up being what you thought? In worst cases, everything is exactly as you imagined. However, fortunately for me, its been best cases all around so far.

This is a back dated post but the ideas are very much the same. I am teaching BC (British Columbia, Canada) Curriculum in Dalian, LiaoNing  China at a school for students who are interested in going abroad.

After a year I saw a lot, did a lot and learned the most I think I have ever learned in my life. I guess, it goes without saying...my first "real" international experience was obviously going to be a make or break experience. Aside from finding the love of my life and meeting some of the most amazing people, there wasn't that much else that made me want to stay in this school particularly.

The school offers quite a bit for the number of teachers that are able to teach these things. I had a friend who was a social studies teacher by training and ended up teaching IT and Math here. I am teaching Foods and English 10 right now. Needless to say, I am loving it. I can do without certain annoyances and unexpected responsibilities but that comes with anywhere you work.

Planning 10 has been interesting as it has provided a chance to teach more down to earth and practical aspects of life, everything from personal hygiene to budgeting an university application. The course discusses aspects of sexual education as well. This is very interesting to because Ontario has been discussing the new sexual education curriculum that has come out which is (needless to say) very important to the education of students in a growing world.

I look forward to Planning 10 again possibly. It almost gives me feeling of fatherhood training. Who knows what a teacher could do with such a range of learning objectives!

All in all, I am giving a shout out to teachers back home, Getting into a teaching gig as a substitute is great but having a classroom that is nothing but laughs and practical learning-that is much more rewarding for me.

Cheers!

CB

When a Teacher Candidate Asks for Experiences Had Teaching Overseas

Hey All,

I had a friend ask me about some potential interview questions they may have when applying to teaching jobs last year. It was quite humourous for me to come across these answers recently while cleaning out an old computer that I had to start using again.

Some of it is fairly true, most of it is actually I feel but a lot of it is changing over time now I see. However technology is still quite arbitrary and my favourite experiences are growing quickly.

As a teacher I can see growth in my students. As teachers were are required to measure the academic and social growth within our students which obviously leads to awareness of our own professionala nd personal growth.

You may find this atrocious or right hilarious, regardless, take a read :)

All the best to the future of tomorrow as well as those building the future of tomorrow.

-CB

See Following...

Interview Questions

                ABOUT YOU

11)      What made you decide to teach where you are?

à Originally it was just because it was just a job, I needed something, I was nervous, felt pressured to find a job in my field, especially a real teaching job because with my lack of experience and extra noticeable qualifications I knew if I did not find a job in my field of work ASAP, I would be condemned to life on a TOC list.

        Eventually after looking into my options, overseas work brought a lot of questions to me about who I am; what I am doing and what I would be doing with myself if I stayed in Canada to wither away. I came to the conclusion that I needed this adventure and that it would be a monetary gain in my experience and wallet.

        After being here now, I can tell you that I will gladly stay and certainly be working overseas for the next few years because of three reasons, adventure, money but most of all the intrigue of the students. The students can seem like many not nice things, but at the end of the day, their smiles, thanks and concerns are what make you able to return everyday. When teaching overseas, make no mistake, people up and leave all the time. Many complainers exist in every school and overseas you probably hear it more, but really that is just our humanity, when life is good and we get bored, we bicker or find something to hate on (no matter how small).

22)      What were your first thoughts/feelings when you arrived?

à I’m going to die here. Oh my god…what did I sign up to…Holy Christ its hot. This is China? You mean, its not completely developed and they don’t all live in chicken wire coops? I had many thoughts in my head when I first arrived, the biggest thought was holy crap…I am in China, and I am at the point of no return…do or die, boy your gonna learn how to fly.

        Technically I first arrived in Japan before I got to China. We had a one day layover, and my frist thought there with my new coworkers was that this place is sick!!! OMG! Go to Japan, if China is going to be anything like Japan I am moving here for good…ya Japan is really that awesome! Expensive but awesome.

33)      What kind of language barrier did you face?  How did you work with it?

àI don’t speak, write or understand any or even the slightest bit of mandarin…in China, especially North China…uhhh well English isn’t a thing really, but there has been a rapid and much needed development of my mandarin skills and the presence of English signs, tourist booths, etc. in various areas.

        I honestly walked into the grocery store after getting settled in…when I figured out which it was and played…is that what I need and is it still good to buy? For about 2 hours. You learn really fast what things are and how they work, you need to. Adaptive behaviours are a survival skill. China visits for the first time with no experience and little warning, can really make you see what you are made of.

44)      What education did you have before going overseas?

àLakehead University….WIN!!! BA. Ed and English….Don’t judge me, I was a slacker, what do you want? You knew me before this :P I mean I could tell you, ya I was educated in machinery and I could build this and that, but in terms of what matters, I have the bare minimum in education. I will go back for my masters…eventually…

55)      How did you find the job? Which company were/are you with?

àI am with MLIS Maple Leaf International School (Jinshitan/Dalian Senior High). I found this while at Lakehead University during a Weekly gathering put on by the Department.

66)      What was the interview like?

à You ever do a skype interview? They suck, that’s why you need to ask yourself, why or even how could you interview for a teaching job over skype. Let me make it easy for you, because they don’t really watch all that carefully for your in class practicum skills, its more of a psyche evaluation and check to see if you are committed enough to get on the plane as well as a chance for you to see that you are not going to be flown to a random location and left to rot.

                I did and still do many skype interviews, they ask you questions about practicum but really that’s why you send them your references. I don’t mind skype interviews but they certainly don’t do you justice, I usually don’t wear pants during them just because I think its funny to say “ya, I totally got that job without any pants”..hey bite me, it’s the simple things in life sometimes that make you laugh and smile, and during those interviews, that’s what they want to see, “an open minded and ready to take on the world attitude”.

77)      Why do you think they picked you?  How did you wow them?

à They picked me because they needed me, could it have been anyone other than me? Ya. Do I care? No. I got a job out of this and pretty amazing experience so far. Keep in mind everyone’s experience is their own, here is a place that you make it however you like, I could tell you off the top of my head 5 teachers who just started and are leaving already. I could also tell you off the top of my head 3 teachers who have been here for a number of years and are leaving. Its completely arbitrary.

        I could tell you, its amazing, do it, you will love it. But I would totally be misleading you (for lack of a better term). It gets hard, lonely, and a little depressing at times but hey, if you make the most of every situation, it could be a wonderful, eye opening, life changing experience.

        I been here for about five months? More? Less? I am learning Mandarin, been to Hong Kong, Beijing, and heading all over Southeast Asia for ALL OF FEBRUARY; I was dating a 40 year old American grade 1 teacher, now dating the director of the ESL department; Looking at becoming department head of the foods labs and hoping for more great news to follow (please cross your fingers that she is not pregnant.) :P But you know what I mean? Life is just the same but in a different context. You make it.

88)      Do you ever feel lonely?  How do you cope?

àWhen I feel lonely, I release myself, take that how you will but there are many recreational activities to take part in when you feel down. Most throw themselves into the work and that leaves you with no time to feel lonely…I go out and meet Chinese people or put myself in ridiculous situations, usually they end up in my favour J

910)      Who do you turn to in times of trouble?

I turn to my lover. My department head (now former because he stepped down to have more time to write a book about the history of our school). I also will turn to a guy from Hamilton I met here, he flew in with me and a couple others but he and I flew to Hong Kong for a week together to see some of his friends, couldn’t have asked for a better first overseas introduction.

11)   How did your personal pastimes change?

àI don’t have my xbox to turn to when bored L I don’t have total internet access all the time because I need to hook it up at my apartment so facebook and youtube are only accessible at school. I do a lot of hiking and adventuring into different parts of the province and what not. I tend to catch myself looking at my historical and informational texts now that I am looking at so much vacation time each year and a relatively disposable income :D

        A lot of people tend to watch more sports or keep up to date on everyday news…I’m melting into Chinese culture too much, I forget that Canada exists at times in terms of news. Keep posting on facebook what is going on over there, help me feel like I am in the loop :P

GETTING THERE/FINANCIALS

12)      What were the steps for getting a VISA? 

àYa, get the Vancouver office of the school our information. Done for you J WIN! Usually there is a long and annoying process to get visas for countries, especially work visas, a lot of online and telephone communication unless you keep going to your embassy and doing it all in person at once. But most schools take care of it for you

213)      What kind of VISA is it? Can you get a job besides teaching with it?

I have a work visa, yes I can get other jobs with it, really the only other jobs I can get though are tutoring English learners. Simply because I don’t speak any Chinese or Japanese though.

314)      How did you solidify your contract and agree with its conditions?

àI signed a contract they sent me, no negotiation.

415)      What are the pay and benefits like?

àI have health insurance in the case of emergencies. As an expat, every visit to a medical doctor is an emergency. I am paid a beginning wage of 45,000 CAD a year and have the option of splitting each month’s pay into RMB and/or CAD, RMB will go into a Chinese bank account set up by the school that ONLY YOU CAN ACCESS and they will deposit the CAD into whatever Canadian account you have.

516)      Is/Was the salary worth the work/move?

àYA! I’ll use RMB to describe cost of living and give you conversion in the end. So, to eat dinner, lunch or breakfast at a Chinese restaurant runs you no more than 30 yuan. If you go out to fancier restaurants and more western style you are looking at around 200 yuan at most. Your rent ball parks 2000 yuan + for a nice fancy place like mine or 1600 and lower for a some what moldy bathroom single room open concept style apartment. No one really owns a home…Here in China, it is uncommon to own a house unless you live in the countryside, even then, most are bungalows and not so well kept. The government has a living law that forces people to move out of their apartment every 17 years (even if it has been mortgaged and bought). Everyone lives in apartments for the most part, electricity and water is cheap. Internet for a year is 2000-ish yuan for top speed, etc. Cellphones at most cost around 300 yuan for premium package.

                1 yuan is nothing to use, about 7 yuan though, that’s about a dollar. Do the math, you tell me if banking almost 2000 CAD each month is nice or not ;)

617)      How did you set up your bank account/your financials?

àSchool will do it for you, be weary though, some schools unlike MLIS will make it so they can freeze your account if necessary…NOOOO! Do not let them.

718)      How much did it cost to get there?  Did you have to pay for the flight yourself?

àNope and none. They cover you there and back if you finish the year/contract. If you bail you need to cover your own fees. Regularly the trip to and from China is between 1500-3000 CAD

819)      How did you go about finding a house?  How did you find accommodations?

àFinding a place sucks!!! You see so many that you think are great and then you find black mould. The school sets you up on campus with…a place, well for me, I was bitter, it was a dump, they didn’t have anything nicer in my price range and I was one of the last who were set up with a place. Their nice places though, for what they are and the problems the tenants had, you are much more lucky if you find a decently priced place off campus. I love my apartment now, especially when you make it like home. BBQ to come soon from online shopping!

INSIDE THE CLASSROOM AND FACULTY

11)   How many students are in your classroom?

àClasses max out at 40 I believe but usually they won’t surpass 30, the most I have is 28 in an English 10 block.

12)   Do you have any exceptional students in your class?

àNot sure, you really don’t know unless they tell you and even then…you can’t get a TA, you just need to run with it.

13)   How were the students varied in regards to learning levels?

àI have students who are certainly going to Harvard (many who will at the very least get recognized for admission) and others who probably don’t even know how to tie up a shoe.

14)   What support did you receive from the faculty?

àTons if you are kind sweet and endearing. None if you push and shove to get what you want. You know how backwards Canada’s system is. If you shut your mouth and do as you are told here, you get the world. You do that in Canada, people say “he is happy, leave him be, he works for nothing, don’t offer him anything,” and the folks who whine and complain are accommodated for the very reason that stress is a factor to their level of teaching, blah, blah, blah, blah….TOTAL OPPOSITE in China, they respect the hard work but if you don’t respect them, they will not even recognize you. I see it a lot around here with certain older staff members who like to push and shove.

15)   How were you respected as a teacher?

àYou are white and speak English, you must be insane to be in China. For the very reason of race, you are recognized. The further north you move and travel the less expats you see. The area you are in makes a big difference. Most folks try to accommodate outlanders but others will just take pictures of you…especially if you are tall and have blonde hair. Everyone local urban person wants to be a westerner, its sad. It really breaks my heart when I see these beautiful Southern Chinese women trying to change their lifestyle and appearance to become more westernized. Such beautiful women but so cosmetically fake. In Northern China, they are very traditional and it can sometimes be overwhelming for someone from the west but they adore outlanders!

Funny story: I was in Beijing, I am cross the security gate to the forbidden city and the female security guard wands me. I beep at the waist (coors light beer bottle opener belt buckle), she says “Shen ma” (What?), I lift my shirt and show her, well the very fact that she saw my belly made her turn so red and she felt so embarrassed and apologized repeatedly. I told her no problem and walked, I turned back because she was super cute, and don’t I catch her and her friend making googly eyes at me, I waved, she waved, and I almost walked over to begin a broken English conversation that would have probably resulted in her telling me that she must work and already has boyfriend but I realized I had prior engagements to attend to :P

16)   What issues (if any) did you face with the faculty/or students?

àI am the youngest on staff and a lot of the staff is here with a significant other. I came here…single-ish…then became single. I made friends with most staff. You are forced to at least be able to bare the presence of everyone, you live in China and there is no room for HR bologna. I mean you will meet the high strung individuals and the super lackadaisical individuals, you guess where I sit on that list.

17)   What was available to you/provided to you by the schools?

àthe basics, room to live, a guide for the first week and office supplies.

18)   What kind of curriculum did/do you follow?

àBC Offshore International

19)   How big a role does technology play in the classroom?

àBAHAHAHAHAHA! Technology is arbitrary overseas. Sometimes classrooms have it, sometimes they don’t. Our school likes to say they use technology, and they would be telling the truth if crappy Hitachi brand projectors would work regularly instead of basically playing lesson plan bingo. Technology is important for the attention and interest of the students here at this school as over 90% of them communicate to everyone using it. I mean, ya it could possibly be refreshing for Canadian students to be ripped away from their cellphones but these students…and technology…can’t have one without the other, just doesn’t work...unless you plan games….you want to make a weeks worth of games? I tried, bahahaha the instruction giving alone could be a course in itself.

20)   What kind of extra-curricular activities were available

àEverything from Sanshou (MMA) which I sponsor and supervise to Comicbook club which I like to think I participate in when I can.

CULTURE

21)   What interested you about the culture?  Did this influence your desire to teach there?

àNothing, I actually had no ambition to ever move to China. Never thought I would ever come here. I was influenced by money, life and fear of the unknown.

22)   What shocked you about the culture?

àEverything. Actually, everything! You don’t tip, babies pee and pooh out of windows of moving vehicles. Don’t J walk, you will be hit and no one will care. You want something done, pay someone to do it, everyone here is a jack of all trades and a master of none. Private driver? For a couple bucks? Anywhere you need to go for however long you need? Yes please. Honestly, I could go on for hours telling you everything that still surprises me.

What did you know before hand?

àNothing. It had a long history. Don’t talk about Taiwan, Tibet and Tiananmen. O, and they don’t like Koreans and Japanese as much as people may believe.

23)   What were some things about the culture you had to adapt to?

àFood, life, and everything. So broad I know, but I mean that’s like saying, what is different between Canada and China…take a look at my facebook posts and blogger site.

24)   Do you feel respected/accepted by people in the community?

àSometimes yes, sometimes no. I live in a rural development zone, meaning there are a lot of headstrong farmers who are just like the ones you find back home. Take that as you will. Usually folks (who are taking your payment for something) will give you anything they can to keep you coming back.

25)   Have you been able to learn the language through your interactions?

àBig time, you sort of need to in order to live.

26)   What food do you like to eat

à Oh my! I love silk worm larvas, really everything, not much food I don’t like, ask anyone who has gone to dinner with me.

27)   Is the fashion different?

àBAHAHA! To say the least. Younger women look like they sprang out of a anime cartoon sometimes (gorgeous though), and guys where way too tight of pants (bleh!).

28)   Some are some popular restaurants/popular stores

à Shen ma

29)   Is the area you are residing in environmentally friendly?

àChina? Ugh. Lets go with no. Well, they are working on it…Hong Kong on the other hand…<3 OMG! I want to go back L

30)   Is there a great difference between the different societal classes (rich vs poor, etc.)

àThe rich are rich and the poor are poor. You see folks who are always dressed to kill and others who look like they have been wearing the same clothes for three days…because they have been. Our students are all ridiculously rich and they let you know it.

31)   How is the healthcare system?

àI love it, you can just go in, chat up a nurse and get served. In and out, the quality is questionable because well they are not exactly the cleanest of facilities but for bumps and bruises you won’t have to fly to Korea.

32)   Is there a sort of moral dress code?

àYes and no? Not for outlanders because well, simply put, we are dumb foreigners who don’t know better. For locals, women shouldn’t show skin around the private parts and men…well traditional men just don’t give a rat’s rear end about what they look like so during the summer to keep cool they roll their shirts above their beer bellies and air condition themselves…in public.

33)   Have you feared for your life while there?

àNo. But I mean I am not the sort of person to really care for much of what happens around me because I know the difference of when to shut your mouth and when you can state an opinion about the Chinese traditions and cultures.

34)   Is it a sexist nation?

àWhat nation isn’t? It’s the same as it is in Canada, everyone has the chance to get educated, its growing and changing everyday.

35)   Do people keep pets? If so what kind?

àYa, but they also eat them. Anything can be a pet here, but you can also eat anything here.

36)   What does housing cost?  What about groceries?

àI told you about housing in finance and groceries are cheap. I honestly cook for a lot of people all the time so I really can’t give an exact price or anything but ball park for about 1000 yuan for the month maybe? Probably a lot less, I just eat a lot and by the good stuff for my lady when I can J

37)   Are there really strict laws on little things?

àNo…But I am visiting Singapore in February…I think I may actually fear for my life, I quit smoking for a few reasons but one being especially for that part of the trip.

38)   Do people walk or drive?

àI live close enough to the school that I can walk.

39)   How is the public transit system?

àBetter than thunder bay. I think fairly efficient, you can probably get to anywhere you need to without knowing any Chinese and little to no money.

                Hong Kong though, their MTR, I wish that thing ran 24-7 I would have just drank and slept on there for the entire week trip I was there for.

40)   What are people’s thoughts on plastic surgery?

àIt’s a thing. The bets kind of Chinese woman is a western looking Chinese woman apparently?

41)   What are the laws on driving?  What age do you have to be?

àYou can’t drive as an outlander because you need to either bribe someone or be a citizen. I bought a gas powered scooter which you are not supposed to do but meh. I am unsure about the driving age limits but no one really drives unless they drive a cab ro have a private driver business…or bus.

42)   What are the laws on drinking? Is social drinking frowned upon?

àthey love drinking but are not very good at it. I actually think the only laws about drinking are not to do it while you drive…

FOR ME

1)      What advice do you have for someone like me who wishes to teach overseas?

Do it. You will love it ;) If these are for B, honestly, you need to stray away from any and all expectations you have, you need to understand that one day you will feel amazing and on top of the world and other days you are going to be crying yourself to sleep if you miss home or having a long distance relationship. You need be confident in yourself enough to know that this is something you want to try. If you can do this, feel butterflies when you accept and then actually make it to the airport with tim hortons, crying family and cousins you know you won’t see graduate into the next step of their lives; then you are one of two things, not going to go or ready to go. No one knows if they are ready till they get here because everything you think you know about yourself, you really don’t. Everything changes, life blurs and adventure takes over. I at one point thought of how I was going to bring a 40 year old woman home to meet my family and introduce her as my girlfriend, possibly life mate…then she left for holidays and I did a lot of thinking and well now I am wondering how I am going to bring home my 36 year old Chinese girlfriend home to meet my parents because she is pretty amazing and doesn’t see herself without me. BTW I never had any interest in asian women, now, OMG! This woman lives to make me happy! I feel so bad sometimes but she loves my cooking and the fact that I clean. You ever play fight over who gets to sweep the living room (yes life can be all too simple it feels like sometimes, but you know what, FEBRUARY!!!!!).

2)      What are the main qualities, in your opinion, that recruiters are looking for?

A living breathing, qualified human? Read the answer I gave up top J

3)      Do you have any sample interview questions?

I’ll send what I think I have…

4)      What is your favourite experience so far?

Hong Kong. Just frikin go, don’t ask, just go. That may change when you see picture of me firing RPG’s in Cambodia though, and no, not at livestock…which is a thing btw

5)      Where are you going next?

<3