Stories from the field:Teaching mandarin to middle
school boys
Anne Downey2016 DCLT Chinese Educators Symposium
overview/ Essential Questions
1) Tailoring lessons to environmental and social factors
2) Does the desire for order stifle students’ creativity?
3) Making the most of these students’ energy
Anne Downey
Here I will be asking the essential questions about the neccesity of taking one's environment into account when teaching a unique group of students."Desire for order" refers to the inclination for teachers to expect order from their students all the time, and viewing moving around and fidgeting as negative rather than something to be worked with.
Anne Downey
This collage will introduce both Seven Hills and Richmond. Basic info will be shared such as enrollment size, faculty/staff ratio, special features about the school (River Day).
PUBLIC School vs. Private SchoolTesting/StandardsNY vs. VA
Class SizesStudent/Teacher
RatiosTeacher Roles
Teacher Workload
Anne Downey
Comparisons and contrasts will be made about different characteristics between public vs. private schools, mostly from a personal perspective. Both the Foreign Language Standards of Virginia and New York will be used and compared to the ACTFL (American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages).The example of average public middle school class sizes will come from Virginia and New York specifically.
Teaching ADOLESCENTS: Cultural Differences
Anne Downey
The Chinese quote is a proverb stressing the belief in parents and teachers holding the most accountability for students. This slide addresses some cultural misunderstandings native Chinese teachers might face in an American classroom, particularly when it comes to classroom management. Along with difference in class sizes, teachers in China place value in learning from one's family, vs. learning from oneself.
“But you’re not chinese!” and other speedbumps
InputLISTENING
InputREADING
OutputSPEAKING
OutputWRITING
Anne Downey
Right here will be about designing and differentiating. I will explain experiences when the teacher has to tailor all four content goals to the needs of each student, and will touch on successes and challenges. Some will need extra "input" in order for sufficient "output"
school/class environmentQ: What sort of classroom setting does these boys learn best in?
A) In a cluttered space with a lot of background noise
B) A quiet and clean space where students work independently.
C) Somewhere they can work closely with each other.
Anne Downey
The following two questions are meant to make participants think critically about their own beliefs about what makes for a beneficial learning environment. There is technically no correct answer; although the Chinese classes align with A and C
Control & flexibilityQ: What does “paying attention” look like?
A) Moving around, doodling and fidgeting
B) Sitting and listening quietly C) Writing down notes word-for-word
Anne Downey
This will be relayed with my own initial misconceptions about how to tell if a student is focused, and how this can be a problem especially for Chinese teachers adjusting to culture shock. Ex: 7th grader who frequently doodles and plays with sweatshirt, "Just cause I'm not looking doesn't mean I'm not listening".
“TEACHER” vs. “Coach”Ms. Downey
Downey
Laoshi
Ms. Laoshi Ms. Dragon
Chinese Katniss
Chinese Teacher Lady
Tang Laoshi
Anne Downey
The traditional model of a teacher-centered environment is contrasted with a model in which there is flexibility for students to contribute different learning techniques, ideas for activities, and the occasional correction. An example given will be having students select their project topic, and leadership via group work. At the same time, they are held to a high standard with being accountable for their work. The bubble contains all of the nicknames/variations of my name made since the start of the year, and how they represent acceptance by students.
EX: “Take turns being person A and B and rehearse the dialogue”
我是美国人
wǒ shì měiguó rén
我住在里士满wǒ zhù zài lǐ shì mǎn
Anne Downey
Will include tidbits such as the average attention span of an 11-14 year old male, and environmental factors such as classroom setting and who's in the class with them that affect students' performance. Because the student body is so small, it's best to make use of that with pair/group work.
