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Q: Why do classrooms have glass walls in China?
I've been here two years and taught in three different schools, they all had glass walls, this made it feel as if I was teaching in a goldfish bowl. It appears all my students are used to it, and to be honest so am I now, but it is a major difference to the places I taught in the UK. All the places I've taught in China were / are training centres, i.e. not schools (for children) and not Universities.
Is this the same where you teach and does anyone know why glass walls are so popular.
11 years 25 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - Other cities
I hated this. Fortunately, so did my Chinese assistants. After much argument, we persuaded management to stop parents from looking in. My own belief is that genuine teaching means very little to parents, they want to see and be seen spending money on English lessons for the prestige value. Obviously, not in all cases but I'd say a significant minority.
Training centres also like to put their foreign staff on public display when showing prospective parents around the place in a kind of 'look how good we are, we've got white ones'. It adds legitimacy to their business. And that, the business end, it what they're really there for after all.
AdamE:
I've seen that a lot where parents just dish out large amounts of money even when their child isn't getting the best results/teachers they could be getting. Seen a lot of parents spending a lot of money but seem to have little interest in their childs education, atleast when it comes to learning English.
I've noticed this too. Seems like its for 1) the parents can watch and 2) when the school can show off the classroom/teacher to people looking to send their students there.
I always found it a bit annoying while teaching a class and I'd look over and people are watching. You get use to it though.
Never seen this personally. Every job I have taken here for teaching has always had an enclosed room with a door, and curtains or shades to cover the classroom so no parents or other students/teachers can peer in. Honestly, I don't think I could get used to the class being an open space, I prefer the private teaching of a class that isn't distracted by anything happening outside the 4 walls.
The same as a zoo,too see the white monkey in action
I dunno but we had a round, slightly larger than head-sized window in the door of one classroom I worked in and I repeatedly asked if I could draw a spaceman's body-suit to hang underneath it, 'cause it would've gotten a laugh every time someone looked in. I could've had it riding a tauntaun, or with an alien coming out of its stomache.
Pff, management had no sense of humour.
free advertisement, in wall street you can see everything from outside the building
They had glass walls/doors in the rooms at the schools where I have taught. I like it.
I think they are used because it looks nice, keeps the tutors on their toes, and visitors get to see the foreign teacher. It may also just be because it is quick and easy to put these walls up, and the walls that are used for structual support are already there.
Get to look at nice legs that walk by.
It could just be to brighten the place up. Windows mean less lights being turned on, therefore less money being spent on electricity in a country where power is critical. Remember now, Every penny saved, is a penny gained. That and it looks smarter as well. Better to have everything opened up, as opposed to segregation. Try not to be so paranoid about it. Unless you are doing a terrible job, then you should have nothing to worry about.
To showcase the teachers to potential clients, similiar to shops displaying goods in the front window. I have actually seen this once or twice in Australia, but the students (and teacher) complained, and curtains were put up.
We have spycams with microphones in each room too, more like a certain bay in Cuba than a school...
Hugh.G.Rection:
Now that I think is a good idea, (esp in the UK where allegations of inappropriate behaviour are life destroying with or without proof or conviction) a type of protection, both for the teacher and the students.
