That's what my kids have to say when they see me each morning. Most of them don't manage all seven syllables, and the first-graders just chant my name, but I don't mind. This is the second week of school and I'm mostly observing to get a hang of different teaching styles. Anne is also a homeroom teacher so when I don't have class I hang out with her second-graders, which is a great way to better understand what it's like being a student here and now.
This stealth shot shows some of the daily activities I bear witness to: Kiki is finishing her lunch (this arrives in giant pots and the kids help themselves to a balanced meal of rice, meat, veggies and soup), Amanda is wiping off her desk, Michael is goofing off as per usual, and Nina is working on homework. The students here are given many more responsibilities and held accountable for it -- they help clean the classroom and hallways before and after school, bring their own lunchbox and cleaning rag (your ID number will be recorded if you forget something), and brush their teeth before being allowed to play. None of this was a surprise, though, and actually things seem a bit more relaxed than when I went to Hushi elementary school twelve years ago. Although morning assembly has retained its military flavor, we only have it once a week and the students stand in the hallways in the shade (none of that sunstroke I remember...) Teachers use more creative teaching methods and I have yet to see any instances of corporal punishment. Another interesting thing is that in addition to Mandarin and English, the kids also learn Taiwanese. Quite a change from when students were fined for speaking Taiwanese in class. I might try to sit in on a class from time to time. Currently I'm using some Mandarin for the younger kids and pretending to be at a loss for the older ones (Roxanna told the 4th and 5th-graders that I can understand Mandarin but not speak it... so far so good!)
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