The Big Meeting

Hey Guys,

Let me just start with some pictures of Xining, so basically a LOT of tower flats

Michael and Alex

Ta'er Lamasery on the mountain behind the Complex

I've just got back from a meeting with the head teachers of Xining which was held at Xining Middle School Number 7. I can certainly call it eye opening. The school we were at was such a contrast to the surrounding area; my first impression of the school was surprise at how modern and new it looked, it had music rooms and lots of specialist spaces. However once we passed through the first part of the building we then found corridors with peeling paint and with classrooms filled with wooden stools and desks all in lines facing the blackboard. This is what China is trying to move away from and why the teachers of Xining have invited us.

One thing that did truly surprise me was the facilities for special educational needs; the school had an anger management room, a creative room and a relaxing room. I didn't think there was much provision, if any, for SEN children.

Alex showing off her drumming in the music room.

Sand box therapy apparently

'Even without sunshine, you can still make a rainbow'
'And your head will become a tomato' -Mike 

Anger Management- Nothing like beating up a clown

The older part of the school...

The meeting with the head teachers was all in mandarin but we were given some information about the schools (in English) so we could research the different schools. As far as I can work out if you are teaching junior or senior school kids then you are working 9 hours a week and if you are teaching primary you are working 12. They have also planned for us to go on an excursion with schools for the Saturday of each week which is pretty sweet. However none of this is actually confirmed and Matthew is still avoiding our questions.

At the meeting, they circulated a lesson plan example and having read it, I can certainly say that to call it boring would be an understatement. At the end of the meeting we got to eat some fruit which was AMAZING, I've missed bananas and oranges! I tried my first lychee since coming to China too. 

Michael, Deena and Alex

Siziwe and I

The Complex Guardian

Mike is sensible, see how he wears a woolly hat and a coat?
Will is an example of no sense no feeling...