First Day of Kindergarten

For my first day of kindergarten, I’m not sure why I’m here. There aren’t kids here until Monday next week. Do they want to continue to get to know me? I thought we had enough of that yesterday. But, I’m getting money to be here for two hours so, hopefully, it goes quickly.

Apparently, they wanted me to help get things ready for the kids and attend a meeting to go over how things are going to work next week. But, they didn’t want me to attend whatever training they were having yesterday as I’d be “confused because it’s the end of a series of trainings”.

So, basically, I get to help decorate the classroom (yay?) and listen to people speak Chinese for a while (with pauses for a temporarily assigned translator to tell me what was said). I did take a whole page of notes, but it was a lot of schedule and names.

During that fun meeting, the head teacher informed me and all the other teachers that would be working closely with the children all about how the day should go and who will be in charge of what and when. They went over everyone’s name and their main job. The most important thing was I wouldn’t have to deal with the crying kids or anything bathroom related, including accidents. When applying to be a teacher, I specifically said I don’t want to deal with young kids because of the chance of fluids everywhere.

I was able to get a rough idea of what they wanted the schedule for the day to be. I would start my day by standing at the front door waiting for the kids to arrive, which seems weird to me as a Westerner, but is really common in China. Then, I may or may not have to play with the kids, depending on when they all arrive.

Afterwards would Circle Time. This is when I would take over and teach the kids English based off of whatever the theme of the week is. The first week’s theme is ‘All about me’. So, introductions? Maybe some ‘I like… ‘ if they already know some English? They only had a vague idea of what I should teach and we’re going to leave all the details up to me.

For an experienced teacher, this wouldn’t be a problem. I’m new at this teaching classes and have never had to plan my own lessons before. But, I have to be at the training center later today and all day Saturday and Sunday. I don’t really have time to plan anything.

I was also promised some lesson plans and other resources that they had collected while they were setting up the school and “curriculum”. They had planned out the activities and themes for several weeks already and found lots of songs, games, and such. I had hoped to use some of the stuff to quickly cobble something to teach together. But, those resources never materialized. Guess I’m winging it and seeing how it goes… This’ll be interesting.

The meeting continued on, discussing what we’d do after my bit. It seemed like it would vary daily – art class, PE, science, or whatever. Lastly, there would be Snack (or Snacks) Time, Reflection, and, after, the kids would be leaving at around 11:30. I would only be there through around Snack Time as I got to leave at 11.

They also discussed the uniform and dress standards. Wait, uniform? Would I have to wear a uniform? And, more importantly, would I have to pay for it? And how pretentious was the school that it would make the teachers wear a uniform and not the kids?

They had a sweater and a blazer. And they were supposed to be worn on specific days – blazer on Mon, Wed, Fri, and the sweater on Tues and Thurs. Well, they said they’d look into getting me one for Monday as everyone else already was wearing theirs. I didn’t really want one. Uniforms are not usually regarded as the most attractive of clothes options and these were living up to that legacy.

Thankfully, that never happened. And boone ever brought up me getting a uniform again. I just dressed nicely so that they didn’t try to give me one again.

I was also told to bring indoor shoes. Because wearing the same shoes inside and outside was just not done there..? Guess it explained the shoe covers they made me wear yesterday. I was informed that I could just wash the soles of a pair of shoes and use those. I never did wash the pair I brought in.

I was told often that they’re open to my ideas and I did make a few suggestions that they seemed open to. But, mostly my suggestions were either put off, forgotten about, or I was told why they were wrong and I needed to do it their way.

Honestly, I’d have preferred to sleep in (I had taught my first classes last night at the training center and didn’t get home until 10pm) and set up my new apartment (I need so many things for my kitchen and bathroom), than going in for the meeting, which they could have just messaged me the important bits of, but it was nice to get used to the classroom and learn where some of the things (they have way too many toys for a school!) are before the kids, all 4 of them, arrive for my next day here.