Aihua

This is a photo of most of our staff near the beginning of our Autumn 2011 term. Missing are Ned Kimble, Tommy Tomato, and Moses.  Below this photo are other photos of the teaching teams at our various centers.

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These are photos of new teachers who joined our teaching team for our Autumn 2011 term.

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This summer, Michael and Hannah took a trip to Xinjiang.  The following is a link to the excellent photos that they took during this trip.

http://myopic.us/xinjiangtime



	




	

Jemma is from Huddersfield, UK. She studied Forensic Science at The University of Lincoln. She has traveled to many countries all over Asia and Australasia including Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Lao and Cambodia. She fell in love with teaching after doing some volunteer work in Indonesia. She achieved a life goal of traveling around South East Asia and Australasia for a year after university. She lived and worked for a year in New Zealand after traveling. Her interest include kayaking, snorkeling and traveling.

Life in Beijing.
Beijing is a great place to teach in China. It has a great mix of western luxury and Chinese culture. In the centre you can find most of the comforts of home such as Starbucks and western food. You also have a lot of culture and heritage on your door step like The Forbidden City and The Great wall. At times in the centre you could forget you were in China. In Shijingshan you can immerse yourself in Chinese life (and shock some locals).
An average trip into the centre of Beijing into ‘Western town’ will take between 45 and 60 minutes on the subway (in my opinion the best way to get around Beijing at just RMB2 a journey). If you are after culture and heritage then Beijing is the centre of it all. The Forbidden City is easy to get to from the subway as is Tian’amen square. The Temple of heaven is also easy to get to and a good way to spend an afternoon just walking lazily around. There are various other Temples that you can almost feel secluded in (which is a rare feeling in Beijing). The Great Wall is reached easily by public bus and taxi combo and when I went it was almost deserted in parts (seriously I have photos with no one in!). In ‘Western town’ you can find a lot of home comforts like restaurants and coffee shops. You will start to crave western food. There is also a good western supermarket chain called ‘Jenny Lou’s’. This is great to get some of the things you miss from home.
Life in Shijingshan is more Chinese. You will get some inquisitive looks from the locals (a looking up and down, which I would normally associate with eyeing someone up in a bar, is pretty common). There are various Chinese restaurants around that are pretty good (a warning. Chinese food is nothing like you get back home). Shijingshan is a nice area to walk around and explore. There are some creature comforts around such as Carrefour; a French supermarket. It is the only place I can find bread that doesn’t taste like it’s been stored in a bag of sugar. Wanda Plaza is a good place to waste some time. It has plenty of shops and restaurants plus a cinema and an arcade. The arcade has everything you expect plus snooker and a roller disco.  The games are addictive and dispense tickets, so if you ever feel like your apartment is missing a novelty lamp and you have the time, a trip to the arcade is well worth a look. You will always have someone to socialize with. The teachers often meet up for dinner, drinks or shopping. Shijingshan is a great place to be and I really enjoy life here.

Dave is from Bristol, UK. He studied International Relations at The University of Lincoln. After university he travelled for a year around South East Asia and Australasia. He lived and worked in New Zealand for a year before returning to the UK to gain his TEFL qualification. He lists his achievements as throwing himself out of a plane, twice; canyon swinging and surviving post tropical storm white water rafting. Apart from putting his life danger he is also interested in international politics, football (well, Bristol Rovers who some would say are barely football) and travelling. Oh, and jokes so poor they’re good.

Aihua is an Irish run English school. It has three campuses; Gucheng and Chang yin out in the west of Beijing and Zhongguancun nearer the centre. The Gucheng centre in the headquarters and original sight of the school. Foreign teachers and Chinese teachers work together in class to deliver the curriculum. There are two types of class at the Gucheng campus; Full (fifteen students) and Mini (eight students). Full classes are taught over four hours with the foreign teacher delivering two 45 minute lessons and the Chinese teacher delivering the other two lessons. The Chinese teacher is present for the foreign teachers lessons to provide support. In the mini classes only the foreign teacher delivers two 45 minute lessons and the Chinese teacher is there to support and to summarize the lesson in the last ten minutes of the second lesson.  Teachers at the Gucheng centre can also expect to teach at various off-site public schools.
The Chang Yin and Chunguancun centre have lessons solely taught by foreign teachers. Chinese study advisors are assigned to each lesson and are on hand to offer support and guidance throughout the course.
When I arrived at Aihua I was new to teaching and maybe a bit oblivious to the things that I should be concerned about when starting at a new school. How are classes run? What are the books like? What resources are available to me? What are the students like?
As a new teacher I was very glad to have the support and guidance of an experienced and FRIENDLY Chinese co-teacher (You hear horror stories of foreigners brought to China to literally repeat words for a control freak.). I find my co-teacher is the most important resource I have in the class. Whether it’s modeling a conversation or demonstrating a game they are always there to help.
The main books taught are Super Kids. They are fantastic and most importantly grammatically correct. I have on many occasions flicked through English books in the public schools, allegedly written under the guidance of a native speaker, and been unable to really tell what is being taught. The Super Kids books are great. They are colourful and exciting and keep the students interest. Importantly for teachers they are well structured and easy to teach. You develop a pattern to your lesson plans that make planning them a breeze. Another book I teach is New Interchange. This series of books are a higher level aimed at adults and young adults. They are again well structured and easy to plan for. I have to be a bit more creative in these classes as the students are usually around 11 -14. So making them more relevant and interesting to the students takes a little more time. Even though they are harder to plan for, I find them the most rewarding classes.
To help with planning there are many different resources available. There are FCs for the Super Kids and Super Tots books, as well as posters, VCDs and CDs. Teachers books are available for all the books taught a Aihua, which offer activity ideas and guidance. You also have access to a wealth of knowledge from the other teachers. There is always someone around that can offer a good idea or a bit of advice that will save you time thinking of activities. In the classrooms there are whiteboards or blackboards, computers with projectors and of course your co-teacher, who can help with any discipline issues in your class.
Perhaps my biggest concern I had before I started was ‘what should I expect the students to be like?’ Before I arrived I heard that Chinese children were treated like royalty (Little emperors and Empresses). This I find to be generally true when out and about. In class you can expect students to be filled with energy and wild but I would rarely say naughty. Students with energy are much more enjoyable and easy to teach than the students that sit and wait to be chosen to answer a question. The main fear I had was that students wouldn’t like me and just turn off in lesson. They will like you whatever you do. They are amused by everything. I have shown them the worst magic trick ever attempted by a person of sound body and mind and still they laugh (the old disappearing pencil behind the ear trick is always a good one for the younger kids). Typically, the students are aged between 6- 10 for the Super Kids books, 4-6 for Super Tots and 10+ for Get Ahead and New Interchange.
The reason for coming to China was a love of teaching children and for new experiences. However, the reason for staying is the people. Both the students I teach and the people I work with are fantastic.

Hello, my name is Marco.  I grew up in The Netherlands and my family comes from South Africa. I grew up in a small village near the Belgium border. I graduated from The Language and Culture University in Beijing with a degree in Chinese language and Culture and am busy in a masters program for International Politics at the same university. In 2009 I was awarded an Excellent Foreign Student Scholarship by the Chinese government.  I have been working at Aihua since Spring 2003.

I really enjoy traveling, I have Been to Egypt, and traveled a little in Europe, as well as extensively in Asia and South East Asia. Besides traveling I enjoy reading, sight seeing, and going to the Gym.

I have been living in Beijing for eight years now; and the city has changed quite a bit. The city is working hard to become a cosmopolitan city, and in the city center you can get anything you can get in any other big city around the world. Public transport works well and with the subway you can get almost anywhere in town.

Personally I like living in Shijingshan, the district where the head office of Aihua is located. It is more relaxed than the City center and close to the mountains, which can make a nice get away on your days off, and things also tend  to be cheaper than in the city center. People are quite friendly and helpful. I have lived in the same area for quite a while now and made some nice friendships, it is always nice to have dinner with friends after work in a newly discovered restaurant. Also a lot of Aihua’s students live around here and so every now and then you will run into them, having a chat with outside of the classroom environment can be very refreshing. As Beijing is trying to develop itself as a cosmopolitan city more and more cultural events are organized in the city attending all of them can be a fulltime job in its own. All in all, Beijing has something for everyone.

I have spent almost 4 years in Beijing, now, and I am on my 3rd English language school. I spent some time with EF English First, kid’s schools, but felt compelled to leave to safeguard my sanity and integrity. I am now with an Irish – Chinese school called Ai Hua and although they pay less than EF English First, I can honestly say that I am MUCH happier here. Having worked in other schools and spoken to many English teachers in China I have come to the conclusion that it’s never going to be perfect, but here at Ai Hua, it’s pretty good. Dr David Cotter, the boss, is Irish and is head of the foreign management team. He is a decent and upright man and still believes in honour, a value I find lacking in many people these days. If David shakes your hand on an agreement reached then you can be sure that was said, will be done.

This year is Ai Hua school’s 10th birthday, a testament to its tenacity in the world of “English Language Schools”. Many come and many go but Ai Hua is still here and showing no signs of weakness. In fact, having just opened a new branch in the neighbouring district of HaiDian, we are going from strength to strength. Most of our classes are at our school in GuCheng (ShiJingShan district) although we also go out to some of the neighbouring public schools to supplement their own on-site English classes. The school is not a “Posh” fancy school but an honest, decent one offering a valuable service to the local community. Many of our students’ parents work at the local market selling produce and are not in a position to pay the fees commanded by top end of the market schools. The kind of schools so business and money oriented that the students and the teachers often get trampled in the stampede towards more and more cash, resulting in a very high turnover of teachers. That is not to say we are a charity, the wages are good here with the added bonus of feeling that you are part of a family and not just a number on the Human Resources person’s list of people to pay.

Life at Aihua:
Teaching English in a foreign country to many is an experience and adventure that will never be forgotten. Although like anything in life nothing is too easy. Teaching English to children or adults takes work, effort and determination. When adjusting to a new job, new experience and new challenge what helps all individuals is the people and support you receive along the way. Teaching and working at Aihua in many ways is like being part of a family. The only choice you have is, are you going to become part of that family or not? You and your teaching assistant or study advisor are a team and you together want to help all the children in your class enjoy themselves as well as improve their English skills. As a new teacher you will be given training on a regular basis and have a group of teachers who are always whiling to help out or offer suggestions. When the week starts everyone at the school will be busy and focused on getting through the week successfully. Aihua is not just a training school it’s also a business so there are many things having to be done on a regular basis in order for the school to succeed and run smoothly. As a foreigner teacher you are one piece of the pie which helps the school to become whole. If you need something or help from classes to your apartment life you must speak up. Don’t be afraid to ask for help even when people look extremely busy.
Getting settled in and learning about how to survive in Beijing will be given when you first arrive. The school will help get you settled into an apartment, set up your bank account and show you how everything works or assign someone to show you around.  There will be regular teacher meetings from management which after you have been here for over a month or so you can use to mention any problems you are having or any help you may need. There is a staff member who is the contact person for all the foreign staff to go to when they need something fixed or an emergency occurs.
There with any job in a foreign country at times miss communication can occur. Remember to be patient and understanding and recognize there are cultural differences which will surprise you. Consider this part of the adventure and learning experience.
Have fun and soak it up for all it’s worth.

Andrew is from Hessle in the UK.  He studied Chemistry at Aberdeen University and had a paper published. He has travelled around the UK and to China and Japan.  He is currently learning Chinese.  His interests include, playing music, listening to music, playing computer games and watching DVD’s.  He also likes reading books and writing stories.

Living in Beijing

Wheels hit tarmac after a long haul flight. Airport security passes in a blur of forms and passport stamps. Bags picked up off the carousel. People waiting bundle luggage into a car.

You’ve made it.

Driving down the EXPRY.
You’re in China, you’ve made it to Beijing.

Tiredness fades as new experiences assault the senses. Strange cars coughing out black smoke, bricks piled so high on the back they look like they could fall any moment. Timber on another truck loosely tied together.
A voice laughs. “Welcome to China”

After a few days, the local area starts to become familiar, buildings become landmarks. Getting stared at becomes less unnerving. You’ve a little Chinese under your belt. It’s time to brave the supermarket. Only, nothing’s where you expect it to be, it’s there, after a head scratch and a search it’s time to brave the checkout. Returning home goods in hand you feel a sense of accomplishment. “I did that!”

Five months into your stay, the streets of Shijingshan are your streets. The local restaurant knows your order before you ask. The shop owner will tell you “没有百事可乐”, letting you know the same bottle of coke you buy everyday isn’t available today. And together you’ll laugh.

The weather is warm the sun is shining. The trees are green and the flowers are blooming. It’s your day. What are you going to do? Where are you going to go? Explore the cities many treasures, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, visit the great lake at the Summer Palace or visit the modern downtown district and go shopping. So much to see and so much to do each place filling the senses with something new.

A year later. Everything is so familiar.

It’s home.

What is Aihua?
Straight to the point Aihua is a school, we teach English, but there is more to Aihua than just a school. We provide a unique opportunity to learn English through active and fun classes. What makes me most proud about teaching here is its affiliation with Ireland and sharing the culture of both china and my home country.

Work and life in Aihua
Work hard and play hard, I think this saying aptly describes working with Aihua. On a typical week you will find your self trekking out to the public schools to teach the students English. This is a unique opportunity to really see a part of Chinese culture that you might never have seen before. Some of the public schools that I teach at are my favourite students and I look forward to teaching there every week. On Saturday and Sunday we teach in the Aihua campus and for a nice change the students come to us. They will be your most busy days but the staff picnic in classroom six is always fun. Who cooked what and who has resorted to dehydrated noodles again.

The thing that is truly unique about Aihua is its standards, for every class we are expected to have a lesson plan, pictures, text book and any extra things we wanted to prepare. There are weekly meetings informing us of upcoming events and extra office hours and every second week we have teacher training. While to some people this might seem a bit daunting but I find this a great comfort and moral boost. In this school you are treated like a real teacher and expected to reach the standards that the school asks of you.

Living in Beijing
There is so much to see and do in Beijing, this city is like two worlds, you can walk the streets of Soho and marvel at the modern and the streamlined buildings or see ancient temples and beautiful streets filled with culture and beauty. There is also the random and strange side of Beijing which I love the most. Never a day goes by when you don’t see something that just makes you stop and laugh or catch flies.

The thing that I find to be the most unique about this city is the seasons. Sure it’s a basic thing all places have seasons but there is something about the extreme difference that you can find here that can keep you on your toes. Its spring at the moment and the air is filled with what I can only describe as floating cotton and blossom leaves. It reminds me of a scene in a romantic movie, a Chinese one of course. In a month or so it will be summer which means the night time is the only civilised and cool time to go out with friends. That means spicy street food and cold beers with neon lights as your illumination.

Then comes autumn its starting to get colder and the shops are filled with electric blankets and space heaters. Your co workers will tell you to drink lots of hot water or better yet some Chinese tea. The leaves cover the streets and the street sweepers use home made brushes to clear the footpaths. I almost wish they wouldn’t, the sound of those leaves reminds me of my childhood. Winter is bitterly cold but by this time the heating comes on for all homes in Beijing and your apartment will be cosy and warm. If you’re really lucky and wake up early on a snowy day you can see the city covered in a fresh white blanket of snow. Then comes the end of the year where you get to celebrate the biggest Chinese festival the New Year. The fireworks last for weeks and some people get to see them up close from their balconies. Just don’t singe your eyebrows when you are recording it.

If you chose to live in Beijing you are not just living in any city, here there are so many worlds. Old and new, beautiful and chaotic, spring, summer, autumn, and winter.