I finally got to teach at NUDT! - It was my first (and only) class It has 30 students - all sophomores - and from different Colleges. Supposedly being assigned to this class is an honor - but I would have been more honored if I had a full load and not just one class. Yes - I am a full time teacher and I have ONE 2 hour class a week. The rest of the time I am 'preparing for the next class'. This class has been hand picked - it has the top 3-5 students from 7 colleges. These kids get special treatment and classes due to the fact that they will probably be pretty high up in the government in the future. I can see why - they were great today. I got the majority of the students to talk a little - which I feel is an accomplishment due to the fact that it is the first day and they aren't used to hearing me speak - I am still a little fast.
The room was sooooo hot -4th floor (no elevator) and as typical no AC, but at least I could move around - the students sit on these horribly uncomfortable little square stools for 2 hours - I was sopping wet by the end of the two hours but I was happy. The student monitor carried my backpack the 4 blocks to the faculty bus for me. During class the student monitor will get you tea or hot water whenever you want. I just now need them to bring and wave big fans to cool me off. The room is a computer lab (with no internet) with video language lessons from the 60's (I had a hard time watching them without laughing).
The syllabus they have for the class is so packed with requirements that it is really hard for the me to get any good conversations started. I feel off the cuff conversations and arguments are more important than the dumb videos that they make the kids watch.
