Sharon DeWitt: Visit to schools a positive experience
Editor's Note: Sharon DeWitt is a fifth-grade teacher at Cheat Lake Middle School, near Morgantown. she and her husband, Tom DeWitt, are traveling with Gov. Joe Manchin this week on a trade mission to China.
BEIJING - I was quite apprehensive about going to China. I was concerned about the long trip, the unusual food, and the accommodations. I can tell you, now that I am here, that it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip that I wouldn't have missed. My husband's business partner in China provided me with wonderful experiences in the markets, with the Chinese customs and culture, and the schools in his city.
The highlight of my trip so far came last Monday, in the city of Xi'an, when I had the opportunity to visit a school for children in the first through sixth grades. I went with about 10 others and we had one translator. We were able to see three classrooms.
In their school system, the children start classes at 7 a.m. and have classes until noon. They go home for lunch and a nap until about 2 p.m. They come back then and stay in class until about 5:30 or 6 p.m. every day. Because they leave to go home, they ride their bikes or walk. It is a neighborhood school. We didn't see the students until the end of a busy day. It was 5 or 5:30 p.m. They waited for us.
There were about 800 in the school. I asked about class size. They had about 60 in one class with two teachers, so there were about 30 students for each teacher - which is higher than the West Virginia standard of 25 students per teacher at that level.
Most of the students wore uniforms on the day we visited, a Monday, because it was flag-raising day.
I think you would categorize it as a fairly typical school in a poor neighborhood. It was a very poor area compared to what I'm used to at home. The facilities initially were a shock because they were so different. I was unable to see any books or any posters on the walls or any computers - those things we are most used to seeing in classrooms. But that's not to say the children weren't engaged and learning. They were so happy and so sweet. They were charming and very attentive. The children in my class are like my own kids. Once the Chinese children got comfortable with me and the fact I would pull them close and hug them, they smiled and got engaged.
It was obvious the teachers were trying their very best to educate those kids. And whatever they were doing, it seemed to be working.
One little girl really was curious. She asked me, in English, "What is your name?"
I had a translator by my side and I tried to visit each student and, as a representative of West Virginia, to make a positive comment to them about the work they were doing.
The children seemed thrilled to have visitors from America. I don't think they've seen many Americans. I would love to keep an open dialogue. What a great opportunity for my own students.
When I get back, I want to incorporate some of the things I've learned into my lessons. I would like to share with my students what wonderful advantages they have that the children in China don't have, and I want to share with the Chinese students what my life is like with my students. It's an opportunity to teach them a little about West Virginia and our classroom and the kinds of things we're learning.