力非 - LiFei

It’s the beginning of the third week and I’m also beginning to pick up some of the 714 names. It’s very helpful when every class has someone who’s prominent, both in order to associate classes by names and not by numbers, when I need to report back to the director, and also to have at least someone in the class who can be misinterpreted as interested.

I’m growing as an English teacher as well I have to say. By looking at my daily summary, that I’ve kept on doing for every day here, the difference between now and then is obvious. “Horrible class! Seek help!”, “Consider throwing Alice out of the classroom and give her a reprimand” and “Give up”, are quotes in my report about my 3 toughest classes from the first week. Today I went to “Horrible class! Seek help” and felt a sudden air of power and authority when I entered the classroom because they were all quiet. Throughout the class this was consistent. Fantastic. I think this megalomania is dangerously enjoyable and effective, but it’s what I feed on as a teacher so it is necessary.

Another way to emerge into a respectable teacher by the kids is to go down, every now and then during the recess, to the playground and play my favorite ball with them. Only by looking at a Swede touching the ball makes them startled and when I score they even fall backwards of amusement.