Teaching in China

After a few years teaching English in China I, like many others, felt like I could offer so much to my students. They were eager to learn and had a thirst for experiencing western culture. Many of my students dream of studying abroad and look to me for help in realizing this dream.

One major obstacle for students in realizing this dream lies in the educational system of China. In order for a student to study abroad they need to take the necessary college admittance tests and have access to step-by-step guidance through the college application process. This all takes a lot of time, and time is something that Chinese high school students certainly do not have. Competition to be admitted to a university in China is fierce. The examination system for admittance only makes things more difficult. Taking the Gao Kao test consumes the lives of students. That means in order to study abroad students must give up chances of going to a Chinese university and put all their eggs in the study abroad basket. This can be nerve-racking for students who don’t really know the first thing about studying abroad.

So back to the question of how you can make a difference in China. Reaching out to large numbers of students by providing information and guidance regarding studying abroad can have a large effect. One foreigner in China can’t change the way education system is organized. To do this you need to get the government on your side. Good luck with that.

What you can do is provide something real for students to grab a hold of. Paint a clear picture of what student life in your country is like as well as a clear path for what needs to be done to get there. If you can attract the attention of a school in the process then you’re on to something. Get in there and connect with a larger amount of students.