Wu Fu Elementary School

I know you are all just dying to read about what my school is like. First, it's huge. I think there are about 1500 students for grades 1-6. This is much bigger than most elementary schools in Ohio. Even with all these students we have empty rooms so the building is very big as well.

We start construction on an English Village this week. The English Village concept came from Korea and is very popular in Taiwan, especially Kaohsiung County, where I teach. There are various them rooms where students practice practical conversations in English. Students in my own school will visit every other week and students from other schools will travel to Wu Fu to use the English Village, as well. I spend most of my time teaching the English Village curriculum to fifth and sixth grade. The first unit was fast food restaurant. Eventually, my students will visit Wu Fu Burger in the English Village and hopefully, be able to order an entree and drink in English.

I also have the fifth and sixth grade advanced English classes. These students have to test into this homeroom group and they get extra English instruction. They have two 40 minute periods in a row with me each week. They also have class with the native Taiwanese English teacher for one period each week and they have another period with one of the other foreign English teachers.

School buildings in Taiwan are very different from in the U.S. The schools are all open. There are no hallways. You walk along balconies to the next classroom. Restrooms are different as well. They are shared by all boys and girls, students and teachers. This took some adjustment but you get used to it after awhile. We have a track and football (aka soccer) field on the side of the school and basketball courts in the center of the school. We also have various gardens and a waterfall with a koi pond.

The school schedule is very different. There are eight forty minute periods in a day. School starts at 7:50 but the students are there earlier than that to clean the school. They sweep and mop and take out the trash. There are three 10 minute breaks and one 20 minute break in the morning between periods. They clean during the 20 minute break and play on the other breaks. Then there is an hour for lunch and a following lunch a 30 minute nap. Everyone takes a nap, including teachers. It's so hot here that you need it by that time of day. My body is tired then but I can't seem to fall asleep. I'm used to being awake when the sun is out. The afternoon is much like the morning and students go home at 4.

I think this schedule is much better for the students compared to the American way. It gives them regular breaks throughout the day. They aren't expected to sit and attend to class for too long. They're given time to expend excess energy at regular intervals so they have an easier time paying attention. Of course, kids will be kids and I have pre-teens so there is still a lot of talking that goes on but they seem to keep it under control when they have to. They all laugh when I say "Be quiet" in Chinese, though.

Below you'll find some pictures of my school. Sorry I didn't place them all neatly dispersed through my post this time. I just have the time or inclination to play with the html code. I'll do better next time.