I started teaching last week and it has been an interesting couple of weeks of teaching. At this point, the most prominent aspect about this is the nature of my students. I had been told that many of them would be from Asia. Well, turns out, all but one student (from Turkey!) are from China or Taiwan. So, this ends up being more ESL than I expected. Certainly not teaching them English from scratch, but still they need a lot of help that is related to this being a second language. A challenge for me, but that's okay. Anyway, besides the teaching aspects, there are other things for me to adjust to. Despite BYU experience and friends, Asians are still not a familiar group to me. Here are some thoughts:
* It is SO hard for me to tell many of my students apart. They don't really look alike. But my brain can't sort and process the differences. I don't know how else to explain that, but it's true. I gave myself a week to learn everyone's names and told them I'd buy the class ice cream if I couldn't remember everyone. Well, I now owe both classes ice cream. I pride myself on being able to remember names and it irks me that I still confuse a couple of students. But I just can't get it. However, I have noticed that in just these 8 days, I have started being able to distinguish SO much more than before. And wherever I go, I watch Asians and Asian Americans and really study their characteristics. I realize this has potential to lead to embarrassing situations, but it's exciting for me to be learning. And I'm getting better.
* How can I possibly even pretend to know someone if I don't have a clue what their name really is? A randomly assigned English name is not the same as a person's real name and it makes me so sad that I don't know their real names. But with the few who use their Chinese names, I butcher them (the names, not the students) every time. So, I'm glad they have an English name and I use it. But it really does make me a little sad.
* The students are so cute to me. Their mannerisms, their expressions, everything. So cute. Like children. Which they aren't; they're extremely intelligent, capable adults. But I feel the kind of love I feel for children, because they come across so cute. If I sound anything like that in Spanish to native speakers, no wonder Spanish people love me. :)
I should have something else to say, but I don't. I'm exhausted.
3 comments:
When I first started teaching, I couldn't tell my hispanic students apart. (Don't worry - now I can) And my students have told me that they think all white people look alike. I think it is really interesting how we get used to distinguishing people of our own race and so when we are around new races we learn to see all the little features in their faces that make them unique.
Don't worry - you'll get there!
Charles and I frequently talk about this b/c neither of us have any real "experience" w/ the Asian culture. And I'm so glad that you didn't actually butcher your students, just their names :)
"But with the few who use their Chinese names, I butcher them (the names, not the students) every time."
So glad you clarified that. I was concerned for a minute.
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