This month’s report describes a typical school day at Shandan Bailie School, as it’s so different from NZ. The routine is standard – other schools in Shandan, and most of China, follow a very similar rhythm.
The students arrive at school by 6.40am. From 7am to 7.30 most of them have class-reading, or one class definitely has singing practice – I can hear their voices warming up as they sing their scales. Some of the students are cleaning the school grounds – classes rotate cleaning duty. Little torchlights darting around like fireflies!
7.30am: they all stand in formation on the exercise ground, then run around it four times – about 1.5km. I accompany them – it’s great for motivation. Some teachers run, some walk. Dawn is just breaking – most of the running is completed in darkness. A loudspeaker guides the standardised stretches, done in class formation, then students hurry to the cafeteria for a quick breakfast of beef noodles.
The first class starts at 8.10am. 45 minutes, a 10 minute break, then the next 45 minutes. All my English classes are double periods, so I teach my students for almost two hours, until 10am.
The entire school files up to the exercise ground for more stretches to music, then back for the second double period – 10.20am to 12pm.
There is long lunch break, until 2.30pm. Students who live in town go home for lunch, as do most workers – there is a midday-rush-hour on the streets! Usually the mother/wife prepares a full meal, fresh vegetables and pasta and meats, no TV dinners here! Boarders and teachers without families head to the cafeteria to eat – a full meal of pasta or rice or buns with 3 vegetable dishes costs 6 yuan (about NZ$1).
Afternoon classes begin at 2.30pm, to 4.10pm, then another period until 5.10pm. This last period is often sports on the exercise ground – basketball, volleyball, running, pingpong.
Then there is a break for dinner – the cafeteria serves it at 6pm, a little earlier in winter.
All students return to school for supervised homework time between 7.30-9.30pm. Teachers take turns doing this. The evening sessions are from Sunday to Friday, with just Saturday evening free.
The periods are sounded with various music and bell/chimes. The morning call at 6.40am sounds remarkably like the Last Post, but it’s actually a few notes different.
So a long day for students and teachers alike; by the end of the week they are ready to head home and spend Saturday catching up on sleep!
Jane Furkert, November 2014
