things pico has learned, and an explanation of the Wednesday class
So, today started off with bad dreams. Not exactly nightmares, but rarely do I dream of something so indisputably Scary, and this one was a POV-character's "dad" chasing me around and coming after them/me with a knife and ending up falling down the stairs. SO THAT WAS AWESOME and followed by other disquieting dreams that I can't quite remember and you know, there's some times when you're jsut like "okay cool I'm going to be awake now" and that was this morning.
So ... the day started with me dragging my bad-dream-addled head out of bed and into the washroom, clean up, dress, jump on the computer and off after 10 minutes because it is time for me to go meet my tutor. For the Chinese classes.
Hrmph, well, okay. still tired n blrgh. But go.
Aaaaaaand then no tutor showed.
No really, I waited an hour, asked recepetion, and they said they called, tutor said couldn't, and they told me I coudl study on my own. Thanks, hypothetical AWOL tutor! You're a pal! I went and got a breakfast of bread soda and a tofu-slivers-and-carrot salad thing (better than it sounds, I swear) and ate those while studying.
Then class, and class was good, although we have done nothing the past two days except go over vocabulary. Don't get me wrong, I'm getting the vocab, but ... that's 4 hours added up of Vo Ca Bu La Ry. We'll see what we get on to tomorrow. Teacher's effective, yes, but she also has a sort of sense of nonhumor (as in, humor that isn't (eg, teacher: "don't you hate (fellow classmate)?" Pico: "....no, why?" Teacher: "but don't you hate when people talk too much?"*) that kind of makes me go :? The classmates are okay, though. Muffin to write home about, but nice people. Mostly young - 20's, 30's, one in his 40's - 4/6 = Russian, 1/6 = Korean, 1/6 = Pico. The Russians all know other Russians who are also studying there, and so at breaktime and beofre class it's a Russianfest. But class is okay - there's Chinese spoken then. Teacher doesn't stop the Russians explaining to each other in Russian, though, and the Korean guy has a Task, with the book translating into English and French but not Korean.
SO it is complicated and that is class.
*yes, this conversation happened, no, I don't know why she chose ot ask me why I would hate a person who talked too much, and no, I don't think it was a particularly tasteful question to ask. She excuses it by saying in class she will ask a lot of example sentences that are "half true half false", but ... I don't like the spirit of that one.
AND THEN CLASS WAS DONE and Pico came home. Fewd, reading, short nap, compupter, class.
You know, I'm learning a lot from my Wednesday students. I really cannot describe how very much I am learning from them. I believe I have complained back them before, but I also believe I have not stopped and explained exactly what makes them impossible. Consider that ameliorated.
what makes pico's Wednesday class impossible
1) where Monday and Tuesday's classes listen, are actively engaged, and talk, Wednesday's does not.
1a) I must repeat directions several times, super-explicitly, and they still get things wrong.
1a.a) this is despite I intentionally simplify my language and instructions for them
1a.b) this is also despite the other classes getting the instructions the first time around without a problem or question.
1b) at any given time - no matter I'm explaining something, or students are giving me suggestions or asking words to put on the board (what I usually do for the beginning half-hour of talking classes) - half to three-quarters of the students are either looking at their desks, reading/working on stuff for their other classes, or staring out the window.
1b.a) this is not the case for other classes
1b.b) this is not the case for all the students;
1b.b.a)there are two actively engaged dudes
1b.b.b) there are a couple others who variously attempt answers
1b.b.c) there is a dude who is not even in my cass who attends regularly and gives fantastic answers
1b.b.d) none. of. the. girls. ever. talk.
1b.b.e) there is one boy who is clearly very smart, but is 1) lazy and 2) never opens his mouth unless I ask him in person, directly, after class, at which point he 3) shows he has a perfectly good, well-thought-out, intelligent answer that he did not give.
1b.b.e.a) this is not nerves because he seems to have no trouble answering smartass things in class.
1b.b.f) there are three or four goofs. whatever, they're goofs.
1b.b.g) ...except for the times when the goofing gets very mean-spirited indeed.
1c) nobody asks any questions
1c.a) which is pretty par for the course in a Chinese classroom, except that the students in my other classes figure me out pretty quick and then have no trouble asking things they don't get.
1d) nobody talks.
1d.a) even during times when I specifically tell them they need to talk with their neighbors about X
1d.b) even during times when they're not paying attention to the assignment and jsut dicking around
1d.c) the girls are more insular and less venturous than any of the other girls in any of my other classes ever. And given some of the female studetns I've had, that is saying something.*
*remind me to rant about Female Expectations In China.
2) they never react.
2a) I gots all kinds of activities. I've had classes with origami, I've had classes where you tell stories, I've had classes where you have telephone conversations. And nothing ever gets them worked up or interested or going. Nothing gets anyone talking. The smart-and-talky ones look around and look at me and give some answers, and the smart-and-quiet ones look bored and the goofs stare at me blankly except for the once or twice they make jokes about each others' sisters.
3) The Two Dudes.
3a) exhibit A: takes Brilliant But Lazy to its most irritating extreme: he has great damn answers for things! he thinks about them! he has intelligent ideas! he never says a goddamn word.
3a.a) except, sometimes, to make a wisecrack.
3a.b) BUT FUCK he does great in the MUN class! He has excellent English, uses words most of his classmates don't even know explains and examples concepts and allover knows hiw shit.
3a.c) so I don't know if he doesn't care about AS (advanced Speaking) or what.
3a.d) but he just sits there. with a smirk on all the time
3a.d.a) HOW DO YOU SMIRK SO MUCH WITHOUT YOUR FACE HURTING.
3a.d.b) maybe he did it too much in his childhood and his face stuck that way.
3a.e) TL;DR: dude frustrates me because he's clearly intelligent and thoughtful and has a lot of stuff in his head, but he never lets it out except to insult or show off ... except for in situations where he's genuinely interested (?).
3b) Exhibit B: almost matches Exhibit A in all things (wits, laziness, and smirk), but sits in the front row and doesn't ever say a word, and in fact refuses to speak.
3b.a) refuses. to my face. gives a great answer when asked, and then when I tell him "talk w/ neighbors", he says "no." why not? "no."
3b.a.a) okay, man, but participation is part of hte grade (walks off and continues class)
3b.b) goof-off-talks when one of his pals sits next to him, though.
3b.c) and, in fact, lets his groupwork partners do all the work all the time. How has no one gotten tired of him? I guess he'd really eloquent in Chinese?
3b.d) instead of a Smirk, a look of Extreme, Brain-Hollowing Boredom.
3b.d.a) OH COME ON, KID. I know my classes aren't that bad. Guy right behind you constantly answers everything and nods when I speak and gets excited about activites. Even the goofs to your left get a bit yelly it comes to origami or movie posters. Cut the cynicism and join in.
TL;DR: the overwhelming majority of my Wednesday students are unengaged, don't listen, aren't interested, and don't react. there is also a small but vocal minority of goof-offs who are not pleasant in their jokes. finally, there are two guys in particular who have mastered the art of Pissing Me Off With Their Faces having brains but never assing themselves about using them.
and now...
what pico has learned from her Wednesday class
1. be unflappable
1.a. never allow yourself to appear flapped.
1.b. if you are flapped, don't show it.
1.c. if you are extremely flapped, laugh it off and turn it to your advantage.
2. in fact, turn everything to your advantage.
2.a. like when they don't listen to your directions and do things in a different way.
2.b. "sure, that works too. any questions about the english for that?"
3. expect silences
4. use the right words
5. don't take shit; step out of shit's way
5.a. oh, you're making a joke about something I'm teaching you? I'll joke along.
5.b. oh, you left class right as I arrived and want to skip out on several more? I'll have a private talk with you later.
5.c. oh, you won't talk to your classmates? ever? despite I know you get along fine with those and them and him and her? okay, participation is a part of your grade.
5.d. oh, you're smiling? I'm smiling too.
6. there is and isn't a limit to the number of warnings you can give.
6.a. "remember, participation is a part of your grade. that means you've got to talk to people. it's okay if you can't do it perfectly; practice is how you get better."
6.b. "I shouldn't have to say this again, guys, but I'm going to. English! yeah, English."
6.c. but when they ignore you to your face, okay. whatev.
7. be in a good mood. all the time.
8. remember Face.
9. remember you gave out a syllabus detailing what students' responsiblities are and what the grading system is and the assignments and all at the beginning of the semester.
10. keep your thoughts to yourself, duh.
11. keep your irritations to yourself.
12. be really helpful.
13. talk to individuals during mid-class break.
14. adjust expectations accordingly (in your head).
15. don't let Those Two Guys get you down.
There are more things, I know, but these are the largest and most obvious of what I've learned. Thanks, O Recalcitrant Ones, for teaching me these things. You have no idea what a boon you've been to my future dealings with frustrating people or to any necessary leadership positions I may experience in the future.
(And you don't even know it! :D!)
AND SO! That is an overview of my Wednesdays.
To return to this particular Wednesday: I had class. as typical to the Wed. calss, disinterest ran rampant, with only the New Addition and the two talkers making any great contribution; Exhibit A turns out ot have read all of LotR and knows quite a bit about Tolkein's life, but didn't find it important or necessary to mention this during class time. Okay.
So, backto dorm, prep, Halloween meeting. Halloween classes have been a little addition this week, with it being an extra class period made up of a Halloween-Englihs-using scavanger hunt (staffed by volunteers from my Mon. group) and then a prize-awarding to the winners. Lots of fun, costumes, candy, avtivities. Classes have been liking it, although outside reception was a bit huffy at the costumes - Dan almost got arrested (campus police came up to him, just a dude in an Angry Birds costume, and got all "what's this then" and thank goodness he had enough Chiense to convince them otherwise), and I got absolutely bawled out by a bunch of snotty middle-aged women who convened in a huge group of twenty and yelled back and forth about my costume, how it was scaring the children (what children?), how it wasn't decent, how I was bad and stupid and foreign and etc and etc, and they wouldn't shut up until one of my students came up and apologized them away. (That's right. They didn't give a damn what I was doing, they didn't consider the one-sided argument over until someone apologized for hurting their feelings. What.) AND SO.
So, went fine first two days, except note one more incident - the guy whose station was next to mine's bag got stolen. He looked everywhere, hugely worried, all his money, cards, ID, etc, he got realyl freaked out ... and then it turned out it had been Removed by one of my Wednesday dudes (who attended Tues. night because they had no time Wed.). Remember this incident.
And so Halloween thing today, scavenging, questions, no costumes (because of previous nights' mishaps), candy-giving. During which, Exhibit A of Those Two Guys and some of hte Goofs were pointing at me and giggling with each other, and when I :D-ly challenged them, they said "nothing" and "nothing" and that it was my fault that they hadn't won. This nonplussed me but I shot back a few quips and ignored them .... until they kept doing it even at the end of class, when they waited til almost everyone was out, then ran out shouting "HEARTBROKEN! HEARTBROKEN!". I ?'d and followed, and outside was given two lollipops and a cryptic Chinese idiom I couldn't decipher. They peaced out.
Inside, back with the volunteers, I found out the idiom was for "when someone is wronged but instead of being mean does something nice" and found that, apparently, this was a way of making fun of the teacher. Pico is unphased, but a volunteer from my Monday class starts talking -- the guy who'd gotten his bag "Removed".
Aha.
So, apparently, these dudes - Exhibit A, the goofs, and sometimes Exhibit B - are in the habit of pulling this kind of stuff, all the time, with everyone. Don't feel too bad, and sure, I don't, but it's not a good way to act, and my volunteer agrees. tells more about how there is a whole class like this.
Ah.
This is all drawn-out and interesting, and Dan & I treat the volunteers to KFC (which is actually a treat, here - kind of like treating to Indian or Thai food back in DC (that is, it's got foreign value and novelty value and ! value)) and we 10 all eat three tubs of KFC (the first fried chicken I've had since ..... oh god, a year? or more) and then peace out to our separate homes.
And then Pico takes an hour and a half to write this journal entry.
And so yes. That was today. That was all of today.
I signed up for a tutor for tomorrow, but none has signed next to my name, and so I don't think I'll have one then. So I think I'll sleep in tomorrow, and try a tutor for Friday. Have a good rest, unless someone wakes me with the newsthat X Tutor is waiting for me and why am I not there. Thank you, unspoken social rules?
And then
tomorrow night
I WRITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wanyway, it is very very bedtime now. Gewd night, and I hope you have enjoyed today's VERY SPECIALL INSTALLMENT OF What Pico Is Doing Right Now.
So ... the day started with me dragging my bad-dream-addled head out of bed and into the washroom, clean up, dress, jump on the computer and off after 10 minutes because it is time for me to go meet my tutor. For the Chinese classes.
Hrmph, well, okay. still tired n blrgh. But go.
Aaaaaaand then no tutor showed.
No really, I waited an hour, asked recepetion, and they said they called, tutor said couldn't, and they told me I coudl study on my own. Thanks, hypothetical AWOL tutor! You're a pal! I went and got a breakfast of bread soda and a tofu-slivers-and-carrot salad thing (better than it sounds, I swear) and ate those while studying.
Then class, and class was good, although we have done nothing the past two days except go over vocabulary. Don't get me wrong, I'm getting the vocab, but ... that's 4 hours added up of Vo Ca Bu La Ry. We'll see what we get on to tomorrow. Teacher's effective, yes, but she also has a sort of sense of nonhumor (as in, humor that isn't (eg, teacher: "don't you hate (fellow classmate)?" Pico: "....no, why?" Teacher: "but don't you hate when people talk too much?"*) that kind of makes me go :? The classmates are okay, though. Muffin to write home about, but nice people. Mostly young - 20's, 30's, one in his 40's - 4/6 = Russian, 1/6 = Korean, 1/6 = Pico. The Russians all know other Russians who are also studying there, and so at breaktime and beofre class it's a Russianfest. But class is okay - there's Chinese spoken then. Teacher doesn't stop the Russians explaining to each other in Russian, though, and the Korean guy has a Task, with the book translating into English and French but not Korean.
SO it is complicated and that is class.
*yes, this conversation happened, no, I don't know why she chose ot ask me why I would hate a person who talked too much, and no, I don't think it was a particularly tasteful question to ask. She excuses it by saying in class she will ask a lot of example sentences that are "half true half false", but ... I don't like the spirit of that one.
AND THEN CLASS WAS DONE and Pico came home. Fewd, reading, short nap, compupter, class.
You know, I'm learning a lot from my Wednesday students. I really cannot describe how very much I am learning from them. I believe I have complained back them before, but I also believe I have not stopped and explained exactly what makes them impossible. Consider that ameliorated.
what makes pico's Wednesday class impossible
1) where Monday and Tuesday's classes listen, are actively engaged, and talk, Wednesday's does not.
1a) I must repeat directions several times, super-explicitly, and they still get things wrong.
1a.a) this is despite I intentionally simplify my language and instructions for them
1a.b) this is also despite the other classes getting the instructions the first time around without a problem or question.
1b) at any given time - no matter I'm explaining something, or students are giving me suggestions or asking words to put on the board (what I usually do for the beginning half-hour of talking classes) - half to three-quarters of the students are either looking at their desks, reading/working on stuff for their other classes, or staring out the window.
1b.a) this is not the case for other classes
1b.b) this is not the case for all the students;
1b.b.a)there are two actively engaged dudes
1b.b.b) there are a couple others who variously attempt answers
1b.b.c) there is a dude who is not even in my cass who attends regularly and gives fantastic answers
1b.b.d) none. of. the. girls. ever. talk.
1b.b.e) there is one boy who is clearly very smart, but is 1) lazy and 2) never opens his mouth unless I ask him in person, directly, after class, at which point he 3) shows he has a perfectly good, well-thought-out, intelligent answer that he did not give.
1b.b.e.a) this is not nerves because he seems to have no trouble answering smartass things in class.
1b.b.f) there are three or four goofs. whatever, they're goofs.
1b.b.g) ...except for the times when the goofing gets very mean-spirited indeed.
1c) nobody asks any questions
1c.a) which is pretty par for the course in a Chinese classroom, except that the students in my other classes figure me out pretty quick and then have no trouble asking things they don't get.
1d) nobody talks.
1d.a) even during times when I specifically tell them they need to talk with their neighbors about X
1d.b) even during times when they're not paying attention to the assignment and jsut dicking around
1d.c) the girls are more insular and less venturous than any of the other girls in any of my other classes ever. And given some of the female studetns I've had, that is saying something.*
*remind me to rant about Female Expectations In China.
2) they never react.
2a) I gots all kinds of activities. I've had classes with origami, I've had classes where you tell stories, I've had classes where you have telephone conversations. And nothing ever gets them worked up or interested or going. Nothing gets anyone talking. The smart-and-talky ones look around and look at me and give some answers, and the smart-and-quiet ones look bored and the goofs stare at me blankly except for the once or twice they make jokes about each others' sisters.
3) The Two Dudes.
3a) exhibit A: takes Brilliant But Lazy to its most irritating extreme: he has great damn answers for things! he thinks about them! he has intelligent ideas! he never says a goddamn word.
3a.a) except, sometimes, to make a wisecrack.
3a.b) BUT FUCK he does great in the MUN class! He has excellent English, uses words most of his classmates don't even know explains and examples concepts and allover knows hiw shit.
3a.c) so I don't know if he doesn't care about AS (advanced Speaking) or what.
3a.d) but he just sits there. with a smirk on all the time
3a.d.a) HOW DO YOU SMIRK SO MUCH WITHOUT YOUR FACE HURTING.
3a.d.b) maybe he did it too much in his childhood and his face stuck that way.
3a.e) TL;DR: dude frustrates me because he's clearly intelligent and thoughtful and has a lot of stuff in his head, but he never lets it out except to insult or show off ... except for in situations where he's genuinely interested (?).
3b) Exhibit B: almost matches Exhibit A in all things (wits, laziness, and smirk), but sits in the front row and doesn't ever say a word, and in fact refuses to speak.
3b.a) refuses. to my face. gives a great answer when asked, and then when I tell him "talk w/ neighbors", he says "no." why not? "no."
3b.a.a) okay, man, but participation is part of hte grade (walks off and continues class)
3b.b) goof-off-talks when one of his pals sits next to him, though.
3b.c) and, in fact, lets his groupwork partners do all the work all the time. How has no one gotten tired of him? I guess he'd really eloquent in Chinese?
3b.d) instead of a Smirk, a look of Extreme, Brain-Hollowing Boredom.
3b.d.a) OH COME ON, KID. I know my classes aren't that bad. Guy right behind you constantly answers everything and nods when I speak and gets excited about activites. Even the goofs to your left get a bit yelly it comes to origami or movie posters. Cut the cynicism and join in.
TL;DR: the overwhelming majority of my Wednesday students are unengaged, don't listen, aren't interested, and don't react. there is also a small but vocal minority of goof-offs who are not pleasant in their jokes. finally, there are two guys in particular who have mastered the art of Pissing Me Off With Their Faces having brains but never assing themselves about using them.
and now...
what pico has learned from her Wednesday class
1. be unflappable
1.a. never allow yourself to appear flapped.
1.b. if you are flapped, don't show it.
1.c. if you are extremely flapped, laugh it off and turn it to your advantage.
2. in fact, turn everything to your advantage.
2.a. like when they don't listen to your directions and do things in a different way.
2.b. "sure, that works too. any questions about the english for that?"
3. expect silences
4. use the right words
5. don't take shit; step out of shit's way
5.a. oh, you're making a joke about something I'm teaching you? I'll joke along.
5.b. oh, you left class right as I arrived and want to skip out on several more? I'll have a private talk with you later.
5.c. oh, you won't talk to your classmates? ever? despite I know you get along fine with those and them and him and her? okay, participation is a part of your grade.
5.d. oh, you're smiling? I'm smiling too.
6. there is and isn't a limit to the number of warnings you can give.
6.a. "remember, participation is a part of your grade. that means you've got to talk to people. it's okay if you can't do it perfectly; practice is how you get better."
6.b. "I shouldn't have to say this again, guys, but I'm going to. English! yeah, English."
6.c. but when they ignore you to your face, okay. whatev.
7. be in a good mood. all the time.
8. remember Face.
9. remember you gave out a syllabus detailing what students' responsiblities are and what the grading system is and the assignments and all at the beginning of the semester.
10. keep your thoughts to yourself, duh.
11. keep your irritations to yourself.
12. be really helpful.
13. talk to individuals during mid-class break.
14. adjust expectations accordingly (in your head).
15. don't let Those Two Guys get you down.
There are more things, I know, but these are the largest and most obvious of what I've learned. Thanks, O Recalcitrant Ones, for teaching me these things. You have no idea what a boon you've been to my future dealings with frustrating people or to any necessary leadership positions I may experience in the future.
(And you don't even know it! :D!)
AND SO! That is an overview of my Wednesdays.
To return to this particular Wednesday: I had class. as typical to the Wed. calss, disinterest ran rampant, with only the New Addition and the two talkers making any great contribution; Exhibit A turns out ot have read all of LotR and knows quite a bit about Tolkein's life, but didn't find it important or necessary to mention this during class time. Okay.
So, backto dorm, prep, Halloween meeting. Halloween classes have been a little addition this week, with it being an extra class period made up of a Halloween-Englihs-using scavanger hunt (staffed by volunteers from my Mon. group) and then a prize-awarding to the winners. Lots of fun, costumes, candy, avtivities. Classes have been liking it, although outside reception was a bit huffy at the costumes - Dan almost got arrested (campus police came up to him, just a dude in an Angry Birds costume, and got all "what's this then" and thank goodness he had enough Chiense to convince them otherwise), and I got absolutely bawled out by a bunch of snotty middle-aged women who convened in a huge group of twenty and yelled back and forth about my costume, how it was scaring the children (what children?), how it wasn't decent, how I was bad and stupid and foreign and etc and etc, and they wouldn't shut up until one of my students came up and apologized them away. (That's right. They didn't give a damn what I was doing, they didn't consider the one-sided argument over until someone apologized for hurting their feelings. What.) AND SO.
So, went fine first two days, except note one more incident - the guy whose station was next to mine's bag got stolen. He looked everywhere, hugely worried, all his money, cards, ID, etc, he got realyl freaked out ... and then it turned out it had been Removed by one of my Wednesday dudes (who attended Tues. night because they had no time Wed.). Remember this incident.
And so Halloween thing today, scavenging, questions, no costumes (because of previous nights' mishaps), candy-giving. During which, Exhibit A of Those Two Guys and some of hte Goofs were pointing at me and giggling with each other, and when I :D-ly challenged them, they said "nothing" and "nothing" and that it was my fault that they hadn't won. This nonplussed me but I shot back a few quips and ignored them .... until they kept doing it even at the end of class, when they waited til almost everyone was out, then ran out shouting "HEARTBROKEN! HEARTBROKEN!". I ?'d and followed, and outside was given two lollipops and a cryptic Chinese idiom I couldn't decipher. They peaced out.
Inside, back with the volunteers, I found out the idiom was for "when someone is wronged but instead of being mean does something nice" and found that, apparently, this was a way of making fun of the teacher. Pico is unphased, but a volunteer from my Monday class starts talking -- the guy who'd gotten his bag "Removed".
Aha.
So, apparently, these dudes - Exhibit A, the goofs, and sometimes Exhibit B - are in the habit of pulling this kind of stuff, all the time, with everyone. Don't feel too bad, and sure, I don't, but it's not a good way to act, and my volunteer agrees. tells more about how there is a whole class like this.
Ah.
This is all drawn-out and interesting, and Dan & I treat the volunteers to KFC (which is actually a treat, here - kind of like treating to Indian or Thai food back in DC (that is, it's got foreign value and novelty value and ! value)) and we 10 all eat three tubs of KFC (the first fried chicken I've had since ..... oh god, a year? or more) and then peace out to our separate homes.
And then Pico takes an hour and a half to write this journal entry.
And so yes. That was today. That was all of today.
I signed up for a tutor for tomorrow, but none has signed next to my name, and so I don't think I'll have one then. So I think I'll sleep in tomorrow, and try a tutor for Friday. Have a good rest, unless someone wakes me with the newsthat X Tutor is waiting for me and why am I not there. Thank you, unspoken social rules?
And then
tomorrow night
I WRITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wanyway, it is very very bedtime now. Gewd night, and I hope you have enjoyed today's VERY SPECIALL INSTALLMENT OF What Pico Is Doing Right Now.