Smog, Breathing Exercises and Chinese Educational Reforms

Elena Kashina

Elena Kashina, professor of English from the Samara State University, Russia. Recently a regular contributor to HLT.

This educational trip to China had been planned long before our departure on May 15. Moscow Academy of Teacher Training, its International Department to be precise, regularly organizes different educational trips to all parts of the world. With the help of Mario Rinvolucri I managed to arrange for them workshops in Italy in using theatre techniques in teaching English. This time the programme of training courses offered in Beijing attracted the attention of educational authorities in Samara and so it was decided that 4 teachers would be sent there: me - professor of English from Samara State University, vice principal of Gymnasium No1, one of the best secondary schools in Samara, a teacher of physical training from this very school and a businessman who represents a large firm that invests money in education. In fact the same one who sponsored or paid for Mario`s trip to Samara. The topic of workshops for teachers was "Educational Reforms in China: New Educational Technologies".

All in all there were 10 of us in the group - from different parts of Russia: e.g. Moscow, Ufa in Bashkirtostan and Samara, representing different educational institutions and faculties such as Economy, Philology, Physical training, etc. . We also belonged to different age groups, had different characters, educational backgrounds, but were very happy to be together and to arrive in Beijing. It took us 9 hours to get there from Moscow and because of the time difference we experienced a white night in the plane. We reached our destination at 6a.m. and on the way to the hotel were surprised to see the Chinese standing along the pavement in relaxed postures doing breathing exercises. As we got to know later they live according to the proverb: "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." At about 10 p.m. all the houses were dark and only in some windows fluorescent lighting was on. Frankly speaking Beijing reminded us of our former Soviet cities with similar prominent, but featureless buildings and a long, endless queue to the Mausoleum.

Every day of our stay there we visited different schools, universities, had round table talks, attended classes. We were surprised to see how much attention is paid to physical training. They have a lot of well-equipped sport schools where children start their training at an early age. I was lucky to attend an English Class there. There were about 20 students at the age of 14-15 in the classroom. The teacher spoke only Chinese though on the blackboard some sentences were written illustrating the Present Perfect Tense and the Passive Voice. Being a very active person I raised my hand and asked if I could talk a bit with the students. The teacher said nothing, only smiled and nodded. In fact I doubted if she could speak English herself. I stood in front of them and remembering C. Stanislavsky method tried to involve them in conversation, using verbal and non verbal methods of communication. All in vain. I told them about the country I came from, about my first impressions of China. No response. Then I suggested they ask me any questions they wanted. No answer. I tried to be more enthusiastic: used gestures, body language, smiled, moved around the class. No response. At last one of them said: " I am very glad to see you", which was all they could say to me in English.
At the Pedagogical / Teacher Training University which is called there Normal University we had a round table debate dedicated to new educational technologies. This University grew out of the Faculty of Education of the Capital Metropolitan University, which was founded in 1902. It was the fist university in Chinese history with the training of excellent teachers and specialists as its priority and main responsibility. In 1908 it was called the Capital Metropolitan of Supreme Teacher Training and was separated from Metropolitan University. In 1912 the Faculty of Education became Beijing Normal College and was renamed as Beijing Normal University in 1923, which was the first normal university in Chinese history of education. They have interesting Master and Doctorate/ Ph.D. programmes, such as: Bio-mechanics of Sports, Drama and Theatre Studies, Marxist Philosophy, Musicology and many others. While discussing modern techniques in teaching I asked them about what we call in Russia "Health Protecting Technologies". It is something like Total Physical Response in teaching English. They could not understand what I meant. Then I stood in front of them, explained and demonstrated that it is something like relaxation, when the students feel tired we may ask them to stand up and to revise, say, numerals. They draw numerals in the air using their foot or elbow and pronounce them. The more they move while learning something the better they memorize everything. At least those who attended that round table discussion showed no response although the idea seemed new to them. We visited laboratories where capacity for language learning is tested, where textbooks are written and videos made. Really the utmost is done not to lag behind in using new technologies, but I am sure what is needed is active forms of interaction in teaching, drama techniques and theatre in the classroom.

Our cultural programme was also very interesting, for example the Chinese circus which was fantastic and something unforgettable! Our Russian circus is also great, but the skill of Chinese acrobats is really phenomenal. They are small, pliant and agile. Chinese opera did not impress me so much, though it is great they have captions in English on a special screen, so that we could follow the plot. Then we visited the silk factory and observed the process of getting silk out of silkworms and separating it from pupas which they consider delicious food and eat alongside with fried tarantulas and grasshoppers. The Great Chinese wall is certainly one of the special attractions with high steps which crowds of people try to climb up hoping that it will bring them luck and good health. The tea ceremony was also interesting, with dozens of teas being served in quick succession. I was greatly impressed by the tea which tasted like chicken broth.

We visited the oldest part of Beijing with narrow crooked streets, no greenery, dusty houses, children playing in dirty streets, poor tired rickshaws forcing the pedals of bicycles and trying to entice foreign visitors. But we understood that it was history, and element of culture and old way of life. We were allowed to come inside one of the houses and talk to its lodgers. They were very friendly and readily answered all our numerous questions: e.g. how they bring up and educate their only child. In China the families are fined if they have more than one child, though in Russia the situation is completely different: parents will be paid almost 1000 US dollars for giving birth to any other baby.

Another interesting question is that of gifts that are usually taken to a foreign country to present them to people you meet during your visit. I read in one of the books "Don`t give a clock to a Chinese as the word for clock in Chinese has a morbid, funeral connotation to it." We were not planning to take clocks or watches but still it is worth remembering such things when you are visiting this country. And surely you should read about the place you are going to in advance, not to show your ignorance when you get there. ( I remember going to New Zealand some years ago to participate in the conference there. My colleague asked me if I had read anything about this "boring paradise" - the way New-Zealanders call their country themselves. I was very surprised. "Why should I? I`ll get there and get to know everything", but my friend was absolutely right when she brought me a book about this country, because the first question I was asked when my colleagues met me at the airport in Auckland was what I knew about New Zealand and what I wanted to see there. I was happy I had managed to read about "Kiwi houses", the Maori people and so on.). Unfortunately we did not know what souvenirs the Chinese preferred and brought them wooden spoons, matreyoshkas ( the popular Russian wooden dolls) and cotton towels, but as we found out they would rather have received chocolate and vodka.

Our days in Beijing, were so jammed with various activities and impressions that before we know it was time came to say good bye to these friendly people, Chinese food which astonished us every day by its variety, novelty and special taste, beautiful sights and interesting traditions. We were sorry we could not stay longer and travel a bit around the country. But still we were grateful we got there because every time you get something new you change. As F. Bacon wrote: " Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience." We were lucky to combine both.