Meeting Mr. Zhang

Friday, August 29. This morning, Mr. Zhang (liaison) calls and says he would like to meet with us at 9:30 a.m. So I go next door to tell Tiffany and David. I'm dreading this because I know the school was hoping to have one teacher for the primary level but I have reconfirmed with Chris (Field Director) that we just cannot do it - that we are not trained to do it, that it has been disastrous in the past and he doesn't want to set a precedent. This is reassuring because I certainly don't feel qualified to teach ESL to younger children but I also don't want to put Mr. Zhang in a difficult position (apparently, school has already told parents of primary kids that they would have foreign teacher at that level).

As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about. After a long meeting during which he covers many other things (mostly relating to school and teaching but also including handing us copies of the Chinese laws and regulations covering foreigners in China!), he says he wants to hear what we have to say about teaching primary school. I end up being the spokesperson and explain very tactfully (and with great sorrow) that we have talked again to our other "boss" and we definitely cannot do it. He seems to have been expecting this answer and seems OK with it. A huge relief for me. He does ask us if we would be willing to go to primary school from time to time to help with activities, and we say we would be happy to do this. Collectively, we decide that David will teach Junior 1, I will teach Junior 2 and Tiffany will teach Senior 1. Each of us will have 14 classes and an extra-curricular English Corner.

Lunch at cafeteria. Afternoon - Stay home. Work on blog. Take nap. I scramble some eggs for dinner and finish my apple compote (sliced apples cooked in a little water with some sugar added).