A Child's Potential

Today, teaching at present in China, I come across different kinds of problems in my classroom and have learned so much about the school system here.

Years ago I remember that a Russian student of mine, told me that when he had gone to school, there was no such thing as a bad student, just a bad teacher.

What I hear here most of the time, is if the teacher in school is good, the children show their love and respect for many years to come. Due to the one child policy, children increase their circle to include friends, relatives, mentors and teachers throughout their years, as they play an important part in their character and personality formation.

Most of us remember either with a smile, grimace or shiver our teachers from the past, that berated, struck, encouraged or taught us in a way that has had some kind of lasting influence on our lives. So it is with pleasure that I whilst I am living here in a country that is many times criticised, there is an undeniable respect for their teachers, especially those that they feel have loved them.

We all know that it is impossible for all pupils/students to be at the top of their class, school year, local authority or state; so imagine in a place such as China, where in a class there are an average of 36 - 45 students,
at least 3 or more classes in the same year per school, a large number of schools in the city and an even larger number in the state, not even speaking of the country.

What an enormous amount of pressure must befall on them, what a burden to carry, for vying for a good place in the academic world comes long before that of the working one.