If you can't get enough of the energy
and zest for life of little ones, join us at Shanghai Happy
Kindergarten!
This placement requires no
qualifications and would suit anyone who has a lot of energy and
enjoys the company of younger children.
The name says it all really… you’ll be working at the
Shanghai Happy Kindergarten, which is located in the South of Shanghai.Whether
you want to work in early years education, or if you'd just rather teach
English at a more basic level, this project is the one for you.
You'll be teaching and
caring for younger children from ages 0-6 - bring a big smile and your
creativity...
Happy Kindergarten is located in a large and colourful building
and you can feel the fun atmosphere as soon as you walk into the entrance
hall.
Your work will mostly focus around teaching the children some basic
English through games, songs, stories and other fun activities. You may also
be asked to help out in caring for the children (ie accompanying them to the
toilet, helping them get ready for nap time etc) and playing with the
children when they do sports, games and activities such as colouring or
playing in the ball pit. However, your main role is that of an English
teacher. For more details about this project, please see below.
This
is a lovely project which you'll thoroughly enjoy.
The walls at the Kindergarten are covered in drawings, paintings and
murals done by and for the children and each room is filled with
equipment to assist the children’s learning. There’s a large indoor
playground, 2 music rooms, a science room, a dressing up room, lots of
classrooms and bedrooms for nap time.
Start your time in Shanghai with a One-week
Intensive Mandarin Course. To find out more about the Mandarin Course, please
click here.
To read about the extensiveSupport & Backup we provide in our countries,
please click here.
“I
was in China last Sept teaching Kindergarten Children. I really loved
this project and the country and i hope to re visit this year. I have
done 2 of your projects now, and I can’t get enough of them. Maybe you
will see me again soon!!!”
Victoria Allen
The
usual structure of your work will be as follows: During your first week
or so, you’ll watch lessons and assist a little. After this, you’ll
teach lessons of your own design. A teacher will usually give you a task
for the lesson, and then assist you in planning a lesson which fits
around this topic. For example, you may be asked to teach a song, play a
game, or teach the children about Christmas in England. You’ll usually
have a Chinese teacher present in the classroom with you o assist you.
The
Kindergarten has stressed that playing games is the most important thing
to do, although you do need to be careful with safety as the children
are so young and get over-excited very easily!
If
you play an instrument and wish to bring it with you to play to the
children, please do so. There’s also a dance room, so if you are any
good at any kind of dance, you may be able to take a lesson or
demonstrate your dancing to the children.
The
Kindergarten opens from 7.45am – 4.30pm every day, and you’ll work for 8
hours of this time. Your lunch break will take place while the children
are napping at lunchtime. Approximately 250 children attend, and there
will be around 20-25 children in each group. The children are aged
between 0-6 but you will mostly be working with the older age ranges.
There are already 2 English teachers at the school – 1 foreign and 1
local, so your lessons will compliment theirs.
You
don’t need any language skills to take part in the project, but as the
children are so young and don’t have very good command of English yet,
it would be of benefit to you to know as much as possible. Take lessons
or use a tape and book before you leave, or speak to your Project Co-Ordinator
if you’d like to take some Mandarin Lessons before or during your
project.
The
Kindergarten has internet, tape, video and VCD facilities.
Holidays are as follows:
May Holiday Week : 1-7th
May
October Holiday Week : 1-7th
October
New Year: The date for Chinese New Year changes every year, and
there will usually be a 2 week holiday around this time.
You
are welcome to take part in a project over these periods and spend the
holiday travelling.
Your
weekends and evenings will be free and this will allow some time for
relaxing, travelling and sightseeing. If you would like more time to
travel during or after your teaching, either let Travellers know before
you leave, or speak to Jessie, our Shanghai Organiser, and she will try
to arrange it with the Kindergarten; we cannot guarantee that this will
be possible, but we will be as flexible as circumstances allow.
You will live at a flat which is walking distance from the Kindergarten.
The accommodation is clean and comfortable, and you may be sharing a
room with other volunteers or Chinese teachers of the same sex.
You will
be provided with a meal budget to cover all your food. You can buy your
meals from one of the many delicious restaurants around the flat, or
prepare it yourself in the flat's kitchen using ingredients from the
nearby street markets or supermarkets!
WHAT IS REQUIRED OF YOU
China is still a developing country in a period of transition. The
living standard falls short of what we are used to in
the West. The Chinese culture and heritage is totally
different to Anglo-Saxon or Western cultures and this must be borne in
mind.
However, the people are very friendly and
will help you all they can, and, of course, our China
Organiser will look after you during your placement.
Self-reliance and independence are highly
appreciated and required in China and will help you to make the most of this
wonderful opportunity!
China is a non-English speaking environment and
we strongly advise that you try to learn a few basic Chinese words before
starting your programme. This will help you to get involved in the daily
life of the local people.
TRAVEL
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.)
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the
same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other
volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up
before leaving for your placement.
VISAS:. We'll send you all the necessary forms and
information and make the process very easy for you.
You will fly into Shanghai, where you'll be
met by our Shanghai Organiser or one of her staff. From the
airport you'll be taken to your school and introduced to your
hosts.
To read about the extensiveSupport & Backup we provide in our countries,
please click here.
Shanghai Organiser Jessie with her niece
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our
volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination
country.
Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa
and the level of your air ticket,
of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get
a changeable ticket.
We can also arrange your flight
dates
to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a
fascinating and wondrous country!
"I just want to say what a
fantastic impression Jessie
[Travellers
Organiser in Shanghai] has made on me, even in these first few days. She's
so very enthusiastic and if there's anything you want, she'll do her
utmost to meet your need. She seems to reap a genuine delight from
helping, enlightening or amusing you." James Dodd on his teaching
placement in Shanghai
PRICES:
To see the Prices of this project and all
our other projects in China, please
click here
Prices
include
Food & accommodation while on your project,
2 T-shirts, if required
for your project
All support and backup
during your programme
Meeting you at the
nearest airport, where appropriate, but exclude international travel.
.
+44 01903 502595
