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2016 SHSID Foreign Teachers’ Orientation Summary--Well begun is half done

September 2, 2016

2016 SHSID Foreign Teachers’ Orientation Summary--Well begun is half done

As any good teaching mentor would tell you, it is always better to arrive for class early, calm and prepared than to arrive suddenly and immediately begin. As well as providing information and instruction to teachers, this year’s orientation served as a chance for all involved to quickly become acquainted before a daily workload and office hours kick in. Helen Hu of the Foreign Affairs Office also stressed the importance of integration during orientation, noting: ‘It’s not only about the first impression– we want to help our teachers adapt and understand the culture of the school’.

For the forty or so new teachers at SHSID, 2016’s orientation was prefaced with two days of special pre-orientation held on August 24th and 25th. This began with medical checks, paperwork processing and trips to Xujiahui for phones and SIM cards. These practicalities were followed by several introductory talks given in the Xianmian building’s auditorium. Topics ranged from health and safety to understanding and dealing with cultural differences. Five days of training and one day of lesson preparation for all teachers then followed, beginning on Friday the 26th and ending on Tuesday the 31st.

Through talks, meetings and tours, orientation covered everything from classroom management and lesson planning to educational psychology. Visitors from the school health insurance company and the local police department also dropped in to share important information. On Monday Principal Ma took the opportunity to speak about the school’s nature and purpose, as well as its academic trajectory and his own hopes for the future. Towards the end of his talk he offered a small yet deeply personal nugget of wisdom: that the greatest part of working at SHSID is to watch its students flourish and succeed.

( Written by Angus Stewart Picture by Foreign Teachers’ Office)