In July 2015, we developed and delivered a two-week Professional Development course on the use of iPads for teaching and learning for a school located in the city of Nanchang in Jiangxi Province of Southern China. The invitation to work with our Chinese colleagues came from Future Learning Ireland, a language school that has been working in conjunction with another Irish company called China Enterprise Solutions. Between them they are catering for Irish companies and schools interested in linking with China and provide supports for the growing numbers of Chinese business people, teachers and students interested in enhancing their English language skills (and Irish companies and schools seeking links with China). The person who made the introduction to the school possible is a young Chinese entrepreneur called Guan Fei. Fei is former teacher in the vocational section of the school in Nanchang and is currently self-employed as a business and intercultural advisor, with a particular focus on second and third level education.
Nanchang, No. 5 Middle School is a leading private school in a city of around 4.95 million people (up from 1.8 million in 2000). Boasting a student cohort of 3,000 and total staff of over 500, the school is aiming to develop the student cohort in the International Division and see tablet technology as one means to attract students and support a transition to innovative learning approaches.
The course we delivered was aimed in week one at the English teachers in the school and teachers of English and explored a range of applications and activities for language teaching. In the second week teachers of other subjects were invited to participate. As the English language skills of most of the second group were limited (though admittedly much better than our Chinese!) the course was delivered bilingually with the help of Fei and was tweaked to cater for subjects such as Maths, Science, Chinese and Art.
On our arrival in Nanchang when we were met by Alice and Helen: respectively the Head of and teacher in the International Division of the school. Throughout the two weeks of our stay, our hosts, especially Fei and Alice whom we saw every day, could not have been nicer, more attentive or more fun to be around!
From July 2nd to 17th we also got to know the teachers and others whom we met on a daily basis, and despite the occasional language barrier, the sense of welcome and hospitality was very strong indeed. Each day we ate in a small (mercifully air conditioned) room in the main school canteen building. Naturally, in a school of 3,000 students, many of whom live on campus, the canteen is an entire three storey building in itself!
In addition to the time spent working with teachers we were also invited to take part in the Open Day events for parents and prospective students: the school seemed keen to introduce the ‘waiguoren’ (foreign) staff members to visitors. For our part we were only too delighted to participate in aspects of school life and to showcase aspects of Irish culture and music in Nanchang! We can say with confidence that Tourism Ireland has been well served!
Fei and Alice also ensured that we had every opportunity to see the old city of Nanchang, with its White Cat and Black Cat statues (as the Chinese proverb goes: “it doesn’t matter what colour the cat so long as it catches mice!”) and its impressive reconstructed Prince Teng Pavilion. We were we also shown around the surrounding area, taken to the “village” of Wan Li (as big as any major Irish town) where the Vocational school is located and where we visited a Buddhist temple, enjoying a fine view of the area from the hilltop as well as a view of the Vocational school perched on top of the adjoining hill!
Following our course Fei, Helen and Ivy (another teacher from the International Division) along with parents and teachers from both Nanchang and Shenzhen departed for Donabate, Ireland to participate in a Future Learning Summer school for two weeks. This was followed by a cultural tour to London before they returned to China at the end of the first week in August. Despite the rainy summer here rumour has it that the Chinese students preferred the Irish leg of the trip by far!
Nanchang No. 5 Middle School
by
Keith Young and Angela Rickard