Heading back to School

I just complete my second full day of teaching 2-3 year old Chinese children and I have this wierd feeling in the back of my head that it's going to get very repetitive.

Let me first describe to you the school. It's called Okiki and it's where children come to learn before they go to Elementary School. There are about 300 kids and 4 levels. Pre-nursery (where I teach), nursery, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten. There are 20 kids in my class, but I have three Chinese aids that help me throughout the day. They are a God-send because none of the children really speak English yet, unlike the 5-6 year old kindergarten class who speak fluent English. It's so unfair.

So it seems the only reason I'm around is to talk as much as possible so the kids hear the English words and start to associate it with what I'm trying to describe to them. But let's face it, they're 2-3 year olds who don't have an attention span to give to someone who speaks their own language. To someone who doesn't speak their language, I'm basically a giant jungle gym that makes funny noises.



These two pictures pretty much sum up the reactions I get from the kids. Happy or confused.





There are a few other non-Chinese teachers there but they're all from Canada or the UK. And there is this one guy who looks like Napoleon Dynamite's twin. I thought he made himself look like it on purpose, but that is just naturally how he looks and acts. I'll try and sneak a picture sometime when he's not looking.

I hope everyone is doing great back in PA and I just want you to know that my thoughts dwell on you all a lot.

Love,
Ezra