Teacher Talk
Crossing Borders
Josiah Mast makes history come alive
After tiring of the verticality of life in his native Colorado, Josiah Mast came to Beijing last year for the experience of teaching at International Academy of Beijing. He sat down with tbjkids to talk about the challenges of teaching history and culture in China, what he misses most about home, and how his students are often the ones teaching him.
What brought you to Beijing?
I just love traveling and being in different places. The idea of teaching somewhere else is a big deal to me. I was teaching for two years part-time back in the U.S., but I had been to China a few times prior on short visits. I really enjoyed China, so I applied for this job, and I’ve been here about nine months.
Beating to a Different Drum
Broadening young minds through music
Jenny Xiao left Changchun, Jilin province, in 2002, looking to stir up some change in her life. Inspired by her parents to pursue a teaching career, she eventually found a way to combine her love of music and education: by teaching music to 18-month-old to 3-year-old children at Eton International School. In between periodic interruptions by students requesting hugs, Jenny took time to tell tbjkids about the thrill of her fast-paced Beijing life, why she loves Montessori, and the advantages of teaching the school’s youngest children.
Down to a Fine Art
Getting students at BWYA to see that you can't cram for art
KC Vienna Connolly started doing art as a way to keep from getting too bogged down with the trials of high school. A trained sculptor, she decided to join her sister, also in the arts, in Beijing three years ago and now teaches at the Beijing World Youth Academy. tbjkids sat down with KC to discuss her students’ upcoming exhibition, the fairness of grading art and why she once refused to hug a teddy bear.
What’s the most challenging part of teaching art?
I always try to stress to the students that art is not like math or science. You can’t cram all night. You can’t study 24 hours and do really well on a test. I explain to them that its probably one of the hardest subjects in the IB program because it’s really demanding and it’s something that you have to keep up with.
Seeing the Right Angles with Zori Zlatinova
Teaching math at Beanstalk International Bilingual School
Even though math wasn’t Zori Zlatinova’s favorite subject in school, she decided to become a math teacher after college and has remained one for 23 years. For the past 14 years, she’s been teaching in Beijing. tbjkids sat down with her to talk about the magical power of math, the rewards and challenges of teaching, and her love for mapo doufu.
Where are you from?
I’m from Bulgaria. I came to Beijing in 1991 with two young children because of my husband’s job. The plan was to stay one year, but the kids went to local Chinese schools and they benefited a lot from this bilingual environment, so we stayed on for their education. I’ve been living in Beijing for 16 years now and I think I’ll be staying on for a while, because I love teaching in Beijing.
From Beijing to Deutschland and Back Again
Nancy Kou learns German while teaching Chinese
Though the German language wasn’t exactly something Nancy Kou had thought about studying, it nonetheless became something she fell in love with. After spending five years living and working in Germany, she has since returned to Beijing and now teaches Chinese to students at the German School of Beijing. tbjkids sat down with her to discuss the differences between the two countries, the hardest thing about living abroad and her fondness for potatoes.
How did you end up studying German?
It had a lot to do with my studies in China. I had studied English in Beijing, but we also had to study an additional language, and since there were too many people choosing French or Japanese, I decided to study German.
When did you first go to Germany?
I went by myself after my studies in Beijing, and I lived in Mainz for almost five years. I had never been to Germany before that.
Playing the Part with Katrina MacGuire
Getting students at Dulwich College in touch with their dramatic side
Katrina MacGuire was encouraged to take up drama by her mother as a way of overcoming her shyness and stepping out of the shadows of her eight brothers and sisters. Having taught for four years at a drama college in England, Katrina sought out a new challenge and eventually found her way to Dulwich College in Beijing. tbjkids sat down and talked to Katrina about her love for shopping, dumplings, and why she still hasn’t gotten around to taking Chinese lessons.
Where are you from?
I’m from Blackpool in England. Before coming to Beijing, I spent four years in Doncaster at a drama college. It was quite different from what we have at Dulwich because we had seven drama teachers, and now it’s just me.
Getting Physical with Jeff Eason
Keeping students on their toes at the Australian International School of Beijing
As a Canadian teacher working at an Australian school giving instruction to international students in China, Jeff Eason doesn’t exactly have the most conventional working environment. But ever since his golfing buddy suggested three years ago that he try teaching in China, Jeff hasn’t looked back. The Toronto native was previously the PE, health and creative arts teacher at the Australian International School of Beijing, but since the start of the new school year, he has found himself in charge of a Grade 6 class. tbjkids cornered the globetrotter and got the nitty-gritty on his active – and often dramatic – teaching techniques.
Picking the Brain of Janet Kinsella
High school science at the
International School of Beijing
Janet Kinsella left her hometown in Newfoundland, Canada, at the tender age of 18 and has never looked back. Jumping from country to country for the past decade, she and her family now seem to have finally settled down in Beijing. After living and working in China's capital city for just over five years, she takes a look back at how she came to teach science at ISB. Lisa Liang
How did you end up in Beijing?
I've been working overseas for 11
years now. I started off in Istanbul. I was teaching middle school
science and then we went back to Canada for about five years, where I
taught general high school science and biology at a public school.
Then we went overseas again to Beirut, and from there we went to
Manila in the Philippines, and then we came to Beijing. I'm just
starting my fifth year here.
Corr Values
Sophie Corr on teaching tiny tots
Sophie Corr hails from the UK, but China has been home for the last five years. After two years of training with Eton School, Sophie received her Montessori teaching qualifications and now serves as a nursery lead teacher at the Global Trade Mansion Eton campus. She’s also head of the nursery at home, where she has two “Beijing babies” – a 3-year-old daughter and brand-new baby boy (who you can check out on p21 in our New Arrivals section!).
What brought you to Beijing?
My husband was interested in doing TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) since we’d been traveling around Asia for a while. When we got back to London we spoke to someone who suggested that we really should try China. So we came over and lived for a year in a rural area, but then returned to London. But before long, my husband had applied for another job over here and we found ourselves back in China. We really love it here.
Inspiring the Littlest Linguists
Inspiring the Littlest Linguists
Canadian Bobbie Holliday teaches the nursery class at the Children’s House Montessori Kindergarten and spends her days cultivating English language development in children ages 1 to 2.5. This task is made even tougher when you consider that English isn’t always the little ones’ first (or even second!) language.
What brought you to Beijing? How did you end up teaching small children?
I was a second language teacher in Guangzhou for five years and Paula [Zhou, principal of The Children’s House Montessori Kindergarten] was my colleague there. Neither of us were Montessorians, but she came to Beijing and was very impressed [with the Montessori method] and decided to get some extra training in it. The Children’s House was opening this class and she called and offered me the job. I jumped at the chance to move to Beijing.
