On holiday!

Hi Everybody,

I have been on holiday, so no updates lately.  I am having a wonderful time in New Zealand visiting family and friends, although I have not managed to catch up with everyone I would have liked to see.  But meanwhile, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you and I will be back in a week or so.

xx,

ShanghaiSuz

My School

OK, a few of you asked me to write about school and the differences between King’s and BISS Pudong.  So here it is!

In some ways the schools are very similar.  They are both private (although companies often fund the education here) and both have very high expectations of children and staff.  Long hours go hand-in-hand with teaching, so that is the same, too.  

The first notable difference is that there are girls at BISS.  It simply changes the dynamics - in the classroom and on the playground.  My little girls are so loving and sweet.  They like nothing better than plaiting my hair (and it is fair game if I get low enough for them!) and they always notice and comment on clothing and jewellery!  I can’t remember any of my King’s boys EVER saying I wore a lovely skirt or had pretty earrings on!  At the end of the day many of them give me a big hug goodbye - at waist height and usually full-pelt, almost knocking me over!  The boys often follow suit, because they see the girls doing so.

No, not getting shot!  Having my
temperature taken by one of our guards.

My ID badge

Every adult who comes into the school must have identification.  Staff have permanent ID badges, as do parents.  Others have to sign into a visitor’s book before entering.  There are guards at each entrance.  During the winter, the guards are also responsible for checking our temperatures as we come in in the morning.  

The children play outside until 8:30 when a bell rings and we go to where they have lined up and walk them into the classroom.  Roll call is all electronic and has to be done between 8:30 and 8:40, along with lunch orders, and then period 1 begins.  We have 2   50-minute periods and then a snack time.  That happens are 10:30.  We take the children to the canteen where they have fruit or a snack they have brought.  They eat for 10 minutes, and then go outside to play until 11:00.  

One of my colleagues

Period 3 is from snack time to lunch time (12:00).  Once again we accompany them into the canteen and make sure they line up sensibly for their lunch.  They have had the choice of a hot lunch or a sandwich.  Most eat canteen lunches, but a few bring their own.  

After lunch the whole school has ERIC - Everyone Reads In Class.  This is only 20 minutes, but my children LOVE it.  They get an independent reader which they read to themselves first, then to two buddies and they listen to two buddies.  Sometimes at that time we will discuss a language aspect, listen to a taped story, or I will read to them.  

School finishes at 3:00 for our little ones (3:15 for the others) and we have to get them promptly to the bus monitors.  These are the Teacher Aides who each go on a bus, ensuring the children get home (or to school in the morning) safely.  Most of the children take a bus to and from school. 

Miss Ada - my wonderful Teacher Aide

In the Early Years (Year 1 and under) every class has its own Teacher Aide, and my “Miss Ada” is fantastic.  She is basically my PA, getting books for the children to read, filing for me, running errands for me, helping to mark or explain, the odd time she will read them a story.  She finds lost articles of clothing, puts up  displays, takes small groups, walks the children to specialists, and, as mentioned above, brings a bus of children to and from school.  She makes any phone calls I need, translates my bills for me and when I need something written in Chinese for my ayi (maid), she will do that.  She is truly a gem!

We are expected to do an ECA (Extra Curricular Activity) every term, and I am doing “Paper Fun for Everyone”.  The ECA organisers book you for a day after school and you just have to do it that day.  This term (and next term) I am doing my course on a Wednesdays.  It is only until 4:15.  

One of the playground areas

The specialists we have - Music for 1 hour (1 period) a week, Mandarin for 3 periods a week and PE 2 periods a week (I teach one of those and I love it!).  My class has a different ICT teacher, too, but that is because I get an extra release period for administration.  I teach all Science and Topic.

The entrance to the Primary building

Our playground is a spongy mat in part and astroturf.  There are two areas with equipment - climbing things, slides, etc.  Also a few basketball hoops and small soccer area on the astro.  

The international aspect of BISS is very evident.  Many of our students are new to English, but they pick it up fast and the school is geared to integrating them.  In my class alone, my 17 students and I can claim affinity to 14 nationalities!  I am soooo loving this aspect.

We have teams of “ayi” or maids who work hard for us.  Shanghai is very dusty so the ladies are constantly cleaning.  They are handy when someone gets sick or when there is an accident of any sort.  They are very willing and I am beginning to be able to communicate with them.  

xxx,

Shanghaisuz