2 Weeks!!

2 weeks from today we'll be hopping on a plane!    Keep praying that the Lord will prepare our team's hearts plus the hearts of all that we'll be meeting over there!  :)

July 4th Training

DBU told you to be prepared to meet all day on July 4^th for training.   Since most of the DBU campus is closed and because it’s a holiday, we’re going to condense that time.   Please be at the International Bld from 1-4pm.  We’ll be covering travel info, first day of class info, making sure everyone has their discipline plan ready to implement, etc. 

This is also where you’ll receive construction paper and toys/prizes to pack and bring with you (remember you were told to save room about the size of half of your carryon?).   

Because this year we’re only allowed 1 checked suitcase (instead of 2), we decided to not send nearly as many toys/prizes/school supplies as you were originally told.  You’ll be receiving a large package (11x17 I think) of construction paper, and about a gallon ziplock of other stuff to pack and bring with you.  

The BJ school provides some school supplies, students will bring some, and you’ll be able to purchase anything else you need pretty cheap from stores nearby.   (We figured if it was between paying for an extra suitcase or spending $10 to buy additional supplies/toys/prizes there, you’d rather buy it there)    

When you pick up these items from DBU, if you would like to have more free stuff to take with you, and have the space to pack it, extras will be in Whitney’s office.  Please let us know that day if you would like more.

Money and ATM's

Here are the details about bringing different forms of money this summer:

• Cash - 
• There's not really a safe place to keep your cash except on your person.
• Cash is hard to exchange.  You have to bring a translator with you to a bank during specific hours, along with your passport and hope they'll change the money for you.  It's difficult to get the cash changed (they'll reject bills if there are weird folds or tears in them) and hard to find someone to take you to do it.  Sometimes you might have to wait several days to get money changed.
• Up side is that  there are no fees to change the money.  
• Traveler's Checks
• Easy to keep on your person (not as thick as a stack of bills)
• Also very hard to exchange.  Same as cash, you have to bring a translator with you, etc, etc.  If you bring traveler's checks, make sure they're from a large/national chain, and it would be good to bring either the 1-800 number or international phone number, because the Chinese bank will probably call to verify your traveler's check.  
• Several years, we've had teachers only bring traveler's checks and for random reasons, they were not accepted and the teacher was stuck with no money.
• No fees in china to change these, only whatever fee you pay at your bank
• Debit Card
• There are ATM's everywhere... it's very easy to find an ATM.
• If you bank with Bank of America (BoA), they have a sister bank (an ATM for that sister bank is conveniently located outside the door of your hotel), so there are no fees to withdraw your money.
• If you don't have BoA, then the total fees are generally around $7 per withdraw.  (you normally are charged a fee at the ATM and a fee back home)   If you only withdraw once or twice a trip, then it's not that bad.
• Make sure you call your bank and let them know what dates you'll be gone so they don't freeze your account (this has happened to us in the past)  :)
• This is the way we recommend bringing money with you.

Some other bits of info:

• The BJ school will give you 'food money' to pay for evening meals and weekend meals and also a little bit to catch taxi's and such.  You'll be given this money either on July 4th at the training or at the airport on July 5th.  It'll be around $400.  So if you want too, you could wait to withdraw money/exchange money until you use up your 'food money'.
• To clarify...  the school is providing breakfast and lunch in the school cafeteria on school days.   And then money for food on evenings and weekends.  :)   (edited 6.21.2012)
• Make sure you talk with your parents and have a way for them to get money to you if you need it.  The way our insurance works is, you pay up front, then are reimbursed.   If you get sick and need to go to the doctor or if there's an accident and you need medical help, you will have to pay cash (or credit card) and then be reimbursed from MH Ross.

Airport Times and Such

July 5th - All team members need to be at the airport by noon (at the Delta check-in)

If you would like to park your car at DBU and ride a DBU bus to the airport, you need to:

1. Let Whitney / Amber Gentala know by Monday, June 25th.   If we don't hear from you, we're assuming you'll meet us at the airport.
2. Fill out form to leave your car on campus while we're gone and give keys to Whitney (on July 4th to turn into Campus Security)
3. On the day of our flight, July 5th, meet at DBU at 10:45am to load the bus.  Bus will be leaving at 11am.   (Location TBD)
4. It's assumed (unless you say otherwise) that you'll be riding the bus back from the airport to DBU in August.

Kindergarten Teacher Information

Hi Kinder Teachers,

You 6 have a slightly different setup than the rest of the teachers.  All Kinder classes (including library, gym time, movie time) will take place in the Kinder building, which is across the street from the main school (where 1st grade and above will be, as well as our office).  

**You need to bring (or buy there) some house slippers.  You will wear your normal shoes to the door of your classroom, take them off and put your house slippers on.  These slippers should be new and ONLY worn inside the classroom.  When you leave the classroom, you'll take the slippers off and put on your normal shoes to leave the building.  You can buy cheap but uncomfortable slippers there.  But we'd recommend bringing some with you.   We think just about anything will work as long as it's new and the soles are clean.  Let me know if you have questions**

• Kinder teachers will have a TA (college age) and a 'Chinese helper' (can't remember the correct name for these ladies.  Most will be the equivalent of a babysitter, will be in their 30s or older and will not speak any English).   As you're planning your discipline system, make sure it's something easy your Chinese helper can use also.  Your TA can help translate to your Chinese helper.
• Your classrooms
• Will have a bathroom/sink in the classroom
• No computer or projector in your classroom.   A little more 'old school' than the 1st grade and above classrooms.
• No wi-fi in the building
• There is a 'Teacher Office' that has a slow computer. You are encouraged to bring a laptop to plug in here when you want internet access, etc.    (My guess is you'll be doing most/all of your printing of worksheets and photocopies in the main campus across the street.  We can give you a 'buddy' to use their computer in your off period or evening.  Or if you bring a laptop, we can set it up to print in our office in the main  building)
• Your building has a movie room, library and gym.  So you won't need to take your students to the 'main school building' across the street.
• They'll tell us this schedule more clearly when we arrive, but lunches for your students will be delivered to your classroom.   Your TA and Chinese helper will help get the lunches passed out and students sitting in their chairs to eat.  After that, the TA and Chinese helper will go eat their lunch.  At the DBU teacher's lunchtime (and 1st grade and above lunchtime), the TA and Chinese helper will return and take care of the kids while you go across the street and eat with the team. 

Description of Classes

Today we received the below from the BJ school.  Please refer to the class number that we gave you to know which group your class fits into (the one that I said you'd never use again)  :)  
 

• Kindergarten level: It includes six different classes so far, and from class 1 to class 4 are mix classes with the SMIC kindergarteners and non-SMIC kindergarteners, they are comparatively lower than the fifth and sixth which are pure SMIC high-leveled kindergarteners. 
•   Level 1: It starts from class 7 to class 10; they are all first and second graders, mostly first graders. Class 7 and 8 are about the same level, while class 9 and 10 are a little bit higher.
• Level 2: It starts from class 11 to 13 including the students who are from Grade 1 to Grade 5, there is a big age gap among the students in each class, let’s take class 11 as an example, some students are from Grade 1 while two of them are fourth graders, most of them are second graders. From the information given by the parents and some of the students’ evaluation paper, class 12 seems a little higher than the other two. 
• Level 3: It includes the classes from 14 to 15, they are about the same English level and have pretty good students, there are several English Track first graders in class 14, and the others in both classes are mostly second and third graders. (Fast English learners)
• Level 4: From class 16 to class 18, aged from 9 to 12 (from Grade 3 up to Grade 12). Class 16 is lower than the other two.      
• Level 5: Two writing classes from class 19 to 20, the students in class 19 are from Grade 2 up to 4, eight students are from English Track second and third grades, while class 20 are from G5 to G7, most of them learn English well. 
• Level 6: Class 21 Leadership class. All junior high students with a good English foundation. 
• ALL LEVELS:  Again, there are always a few students from each class are a little higher than the others as some of the parents insist that their kids should be put in the same class although they are not on the same level.
  

Please don't edit documents in Curriculum Folder

Hi Everyone,

Please copy all of the files from the 'Curriculum' folder (link we sent you) to your own laptop or thumb drive.  

Do NOT edit any documents in the Dropbox.  

Anytime you make changes in Dropbox, it changes the document for everyone.  (I keep getting notifications that documents are being changed)    If you need help understanding how to do this, please let us know. 

Thank you! :)