Back in the University Classroom
Wednesday, March 13, 2013: After years of avoiding it, I finally found myself back in the College classroom. It appears that one of the few things the Chinese think they can learn from an American is the English language. And what’s worse, the assumption seems to be that any native speaker can teach it. In any case, I have really avoided it … I am not an English teacher and quite frankly it is the creative, “irregular” (liberally bending the rules) use of it that I find most interesting.
But times were getting desperate and I needed some income. It all came about quite unexpectedly and through an interesting contact. One day I received a call from a gentlemen I didn’t even know – he had seen me dancing at one of the 30’s dance halls. He asked if I would be interested in teaching at a local College. Now this man had never met me, he had no idea that I had a Ph.D. and over twenty years of University teaching experience, only that he appreciated my dancing and knew that I spoke English. I agreed to meet his friend who was the Chairman of the Language Department at the Custom’s College in Shanghai. He was quick to point out that I should not under any circumstances mentioned that he met me dancing, “just say that we met while you were teaching at my University, “ he said. Evidently, the fact that I might like to dance somehow diminishes me as a serious teacher….
I have never made a valid University contact through all the big talking ‘connected’ people who have promised the introduction over past 9 years here. And I have to admit that I missed the classroom, but teaching English? Well I agreed to meet the Chairman and had decided to be very straight forward about the fact that I was NOT an English teacher, but had a Doctorate degree in the Biological Sciences and would love to get back into teaching something that could be of unique value. Well English was the offer, Oral English — meaning my job would be to get the students to verbally use the English they already had. It seems that most educated Chinese learn English in school but never use it, especially never speak it. Like most other language teaching every place else in the world, language is taught emphasizing its reading and writing and NOT its oral use. My job would be to get people talking, and this is the crucial point, talking about anything I wanted. That was enough for me to say yes. I could get back into the classroom and teach whatever I want.
The initial interview with the Chairman went well and I did not mention dancing (although I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to dance with this charming lady). What was left to do was for me to visit the campus and, as a test I suppose, to give a public lecture for the campus wide audience. So in the large auditorium I gave my standard “What does Sustainabilty Mean ” lecture and slide show. I was impressed with the responsiveness of the audience (it turns out that those in the front rows that did most of the talking were members of the faculty). It felt good to be back in an academic atmosphere.
I passed muster and was to begin the next week. I was given my schedule and books that I was to use. While the book had been pre-selected, I was told that I needn’t follow it exactly that I could talk about what I wanted to activate conversation in the students.
I can still remember my shock when I arrived at my first class, lo and behold stiffly sitting in their seats were 30 students in military fatigues (my uniformed students changed back and forth from field fatigues to dress blues, you know, like uniforms you see Customs Officiers at the airport wearing). I was immediately transported to my first teaching experience in the Army where I was a Training Officer. It was eerie at first but I soon got used to it.
So what do you think that I chose to talk about ? Of course, what I know and care about the most – that we are of the biological world, not just an economic one, Custom Officers ought to know about CITES
I thought, it was the time of the World Expo and so they got a lot about sustainable cities (the supposed theme of the Expo) and of course, I didn’t miss a chance to teach a dance or two and at every class session I would do a magic trick or two … How’s that for activating their interest ?
All and all it was a grand experience which I would still be doing if I hadn’t got so involved with the World Expo.
Oh and did I mention, within a month I was going out dancing with the Chairman of the Department (and other staff) …. She was as charming a partner as I imagined.
See Photo Album on Customs College for a view of my time back in the classroom.
