Qinghai Teaching Trip 1st – 8th July 2009
This inaugural teaching project has been very successful with the team effort and the help form Miss Lily Gong and Mr. Robert from HuaQiao Foundation, Rotary Club and Singapore-Shanghai Business Association. As the project director of this teaching trip, I had been pushing this project since January 2009. With Tibetan riots and events, I was worried that we might not be able to make it to Qinghai with safety concerns and limitations on knowledge of the area. Fortunately, with coordinator Ms Lily Gong and Mr. Robert, it had been more smooth sailing with their advices and information.
With recruiting team members, we were very glad and grateful that six Fudan students had joined us in this teaching trip’s journey. It would be different without their presence and help as they gave us a better understanding of the prospective, the rich cultural and history of China. Their stronger Chinese language ability is complementary to our weaker Chinese language’s ability when it comes to teach English language to the elementary students. From NUS, 7 volunteers took time off from their busy schedule to make a difference in the lives of these students. Everyone was prepared to take on a simple lifestyle and to leave the city life to embrace the Tibetan and the minorities’ cultures.
As the period of time of this teaching trip was very short, hence the main objective of this trip was not to change their English standard drastically. Our objective was to encourage greater interest in the English Language through interactive methods such as games and various other teaching methods. We understand that it is important to also let them know what the world outside of their school/community is like. We showed them pictures and shared our experiences with them in hopes that they would be aspired to explore out of their comfort zone in the future.
It was an eye opener for all of us especially the way of life, especially that the students were all obedient and hardworking. These experiences were unachievable if we were not there personally. I had benefited and learned a lot from the students, it was not only that we were teaching them; they were teaching us the way of life and simple things that make us happy. We would like to continue this project and bring them more resources and materials to improve the standard of English.
Josephine Wang
Philantropy Director, SHEN 10th
