This week, while not a major event filled week still had its fun events. First we had a student loose her tooth in the class on Monday. She was so proud that she had taken it out and so we wrapped it up in tissue and taped it closed. We wrote her name on it so she could take it home to her mother.

本周，我们虽然没有大型的活动，但是充满着小欢乐。周一，我们有一位可爱的小朋友掉了小牙。她自豪的把掉下来的小牙拿出来，我们帮助她用纸巾把这颗小牙包好，并将她的名字写在了上面，这样她就可以把这颗小牙带回家啦。

During the week we were preparing for the Thanksgiving play. Yes, the American Primary School was going to celebrate American Thanksgiving. The kids had made cards for their parents, and a short video that told their parents how much they loved them and some cute stories that they remembered doing with their families. We prepared some songs for the parents, all ones we had learned earlier, but they were still good songs.

我们一直在排练感恩节的话剧。没错，美国小学班将要庆祝美国的感恩节。孩子们给自己的爸爸妈妈们亲手制作了感恩卡，给爸爸妈妈们录制了感恩的视频，告诉爸爸妈妈们自己有多么爱他们，回忆和爸爸妈妈们一起做过的事情。我们还给爸爸妈妈们演唱了我们以前学过的歌曲。

On Wednesday we had an Open day for the parents. In an attempt to show the parents a candid view of the class we asked them to come and watch the class from our 2^nd classroom, through the security camera footage. They watched it on the interactive whiteboard. Then we had our show 4^th period for the parents.

周三，我们进行了家长开放日活动。为了让家长们更直观的了解孩子们的上课情况，我们安排家长们在隔壁班教室通过视频观看了孩子们的上课情况。第四节课上，我们为爸爸妈妈们做了感恩节的表演。

After the show we had a big lunch with food from all the families, and some hot dishes from the school. Some parents even brought cake for the kids. It was delicious.

表演结束后，我们享用了家长们带来的具有各种地方特色的凉菜、点心和学校精心为孩子们烹饪的丰盛美味的午餐。

On Thursday and Friday a couple of students brought gift erasers from Japan to be given out. On Thursday, Daniel gave out some nice quality erasers, and on Friday, Mickey brought some character erasers.

有些孩子给大家带来了日本的橡皮作为礼物。周四，Daniel送给大家很好用的橡皮。周五，Mickey送给大家卡通动物的橡皮。

Due to time constraints we were videoing the children perform their Thanksgiving Play. I expect to deliver it to the families on Friday if not through WeChat, than through the WeiYun accounts.

因为时间关系，我们对孩子们的感恩节话剧进行了拍摄。我希望能在周五把录制的视频通过微信或者微云给各位家长。

While we are setting up the website, I will be posting APS updates here.

    Last week we completed a wonderful week of APS bonding. The camp theme was outdoor education, but the main focus was getting to know each other. I wanted to have a camp where I could spend time with as many of the APS students to get to know them better. It worked so much better than I thought. There were definitely times when we had communication difficulties, but as a team we worked through that. The students had fun learning about each other, making friends and trying new things. I learned how much fun it was to spend all day with them.

    Our first day we spent the day doing a lot of different activities. We made bracelets to show the students how to follow (complicated) directions, they also learned how to ask for help with this activity. We gave them maps of the school and let them explore the campus looking for things to familiarize themselves with the school grounds. We had teamwork activities in the field to help them work together. The kids had a great time, and were introduced to several of the teachers in the school.

    On our second day we went down to Fangshan. The kids were given the opportunity to kayak. For some this was a scary experience, and they did not want to do this on their own. Others were quite happy in the kayaks, scooting around the lake on their own. I spent the morning riding around with 2 (or 3) students in my kayak. Sometimes we’d have to go out and help tow a kayak out of the grass. But the kids had a wonderful morning, followed by bbq lunch. That afternoon, some of the students were given the chance to rock climb.

    This was followed by alternating days of Field trips and training at school. We went caving, (Spelunking). We entered the caves on our feet, and ended up climbing ropes, and crawling through tiny holes. The students had a great time. We saw bats, and “stone flowers”, and water dripping from the roof. I must admit, that I discovered that I still have “claustrophobia” (fear of enclosed spaces). I didn’t know that I had this, and so it was a bit hard. But In the end I did have a good time.

We also had campsite training. We learned to hunt with a bow and arrow. How to use the sun for telling time, and how to work together. There were times that I could see some of the kids did not understand what was expected, and we had to patiently show them what was needed. (Except during the hunting practice, when I had to run out and carry a student out or the firing-range, because ran out in front of other archers when they were about to shoot…)

One of the parents (Felix’s) made wonderful photo-essays of each day. And I think they are very good to share.

The end of the school year is here, and we can now look back at all the great memories we made in grade 1. I had a great time this semester and I hope my students did too. We had Buggy dancing to “There’s a bug in my room”, and Mr. Finn’s River dance tutorial on St. Patrick’s Day. We had Card games, and role-plays, and children trying to hide inside desks. I really enjoyed this year.

At this point we are also granted the opportunity to look at the future, which is awesome. Students plan to go off to enjoy the adventures of summer vacation, making more great memories that we all can share with our friends at ZhongDe in the fall. Summer also bring forth in some an uncertainty about the new school year.

At the end of every year, foreign teachers in the bilingual program are asked by students and parents if they will continue to teach their child (or themselves) in the following year. This is a hard question for us to answer every year, as of course, we would love to continue working with the same children and to help them grow into wonderful people. This is not always possible.

    Every year, the foreign staff expands, and as it does so the school moves us to positions where we can be the most effective. This is very much like schools in western countries. Some of us are our most effective at certain grades, some of us are needed to be moved to other grades or subjects to help guide the new staff as they come into the school. Some of us are asked to guide new programs or activities the school is opening. This gives students the opportunity to learn more about the world they are living in, as they get to have various teachers from different places around the world.

    I loved being in grade 1 class 5, and had a great time with the kids this year. I will still be in the school: to help and watch over the kids as they grow up, and continue to learn. I will still be proud of them, and talk to them in the school. I will, however, be passing the reigns of both English and Math teacher over to one of our other great teachers. I am not 100% sure which lucky teacher it will be, but I know the students will be in for a wonderful grade 2 year.

    I, however, will be back in grade 1 again next year. The school has asked me to help guide the new American Primary School program into fruition, and help it have a successful first year. I am both excited and saddened by this posting. I am saddened because, as with each year I have worked as a Teacher, I must set my students free to fly where they will. Sometimes to watch them grow, sometimes not, as they fly off to other wonderful adventures. I am also excited at the opportunity to try and bring such a new program to a Wonderful School like ZhongDe.

    My door will be open next year, for any students that would like to visit, or need advice. My door will be open for any staff that need the same.

    Have a great summer, and let me know how it was in September.

Chad Baldwin