Wednesday, November 5, 2008
November 4, 2008 NBOFLS
¶ 12:02 AM 
- The second school we visited was the New Beijing Oriental Foreign Laugage School. Again, we were greeted by the principals and several students, one who was a very pretty high school girl wearing a portable Janet Jackson style microphone. She was our student host and she directed us to walk toward their stadium. Her English was perfect and her personality was very vivacious and outgoing. She’ll be a CNN news anchor in another year on
- This is a private K-12 boarding school. They have 2000 kids in grades 1-6, 1000 in grades 7-9, and 600 in their high school. The tuition to the school is approximately $4000, which is high by Chinese standards. The principal, Dr. Wong, told me that most of their parents have very good jobs.
- When our bus arrived we could see in the distance several hundred uniformed students lined up on their soccer field, performing calisthenics’ in perfect unison. We all started snapping pictures, not realizing that was the first stop on our tour.
- When we got to the stadium our hosts directed into the stage and then their gym teacher directed the 300 6th graders through a routine that would make the Rockettes proud. The 7th and 8th graders then stepped forward and performed a number of dance steps, all in synch.
- We then continued our tour, encountered some 2nd graders walking across their campus, watched a 4th grade science class and a 1st grade class.
- In both schools the classrooms were stark, with no decorations on the walls. The 1st grade class contained 33 students, in a classroom half the size of most American elementary school rooms.
- The teacher was also using a ceiling mounted
LCD. Students did not carry back packs, and had only simple paperback texts in front of them. We were told that students buy their own books. - The 1st graders also stood when responding to the teacher. The class responding in unison to the teacher’s cues which were rapid fire.
- The NBOFLS employs some American teachers, who receive better pay than the Chinese teachers. Dr. Bob stated that some American teachers have classroom management problems since they are not as strict with the students.
- The K-12 school was only 8 years old, but the building looked much, much older, and their were clear signs of lack of maintenance: very dirty floors, and crumbling plaster in ceilings.
- We toured the dorm rooms which contained 4 beds per room and had no decorations other than the matching bed clothes. Students do not study in their rooms. At this school they remain in their classes until 9:30 PM!
- This school’s campus was very sprawling, the classes all open to the outdoors.
- We went to their auditorium and were treated to a number of performances by students of all ages. Dancing for younger students, piano solo by a high school boy, a martial arts demo by approximately 20 upper elementary kids, and then three students of elementary, middle, and high school ages played on giant laptop guitars with 15+ strings. They were better than the woman who entertained us on Sunday night at the Orchid Tea Room!
- Each act was introduced by a grade level host who spoke perfect English.
- The principal, Dr. Wong, and vice principal, Dr. Bob, spoke to us about how they got their start at this school.
- This was truly a remarkable school. It's magnitude was overwhelming; especially for those of us who work in much smaller settings. Yet every student and staff member displayed an incredible amount of enthusiasm and they were all very proud of their school and their achievements.
- We ended our visit in the school’s cafeteria and were served the meal of the evening on metal trays, no chop sticks, just a spoon. The food was terrible and most of us ate very little. We’d been eating so much on this trip that missing a meal wasn’t going to hurt any of us.
- On our ride back to the Yangzhou Guest House all of us agreed that we are clearly being shown what they consider to be their best schools. Our visit has gotten a great deal of news coverage on their television and in their newspapers. Several students commented that they had seen us on TV. Every activity we’ve participated in has been documented in detail by a press corps.
- Clearly they are publicly documenting that foreign educators are visiting their schools. Again, establishing international exchange programs is a clearly a very high priority that they want recognized.
- We also felt that the Chinese administrators were not that interested in what we do in our schools. We asked far more questions than they did. And in retrospect, the amount of time for actual in depth dialogue among educators was very limited. Many of us have concluded that this conference was far more a PR event for the Jiagsu Education Bureau.
- The Chinese schools seem to be the antithesis of No Child Left Behind. Perhaps like their gymnastics team, they do everything for their gifted, but their special needs students are ignored, and as Dr. Bob, stated: if a male child is discovered to have a handicap he is put in an orphanage, if a female child is discovered to have a handicap she rarely survives. I’m very proud of NCLB after this visit.
- This was truly an eye opening, thought provoking day!
