Mike and his wife. Photo by Chen Lei
China News Network Yongzhou August 11 Title: "German Son-in-law" Mike: Open a new world for children in small towns
Author Tang Xiaoqing Chen Lei
German Mike has been in China for ten years. He now lives in Dong'an County, Hunan Province with his wife Lei Hua, and has opened an English tutoring institution locally to teach children English. When the reporter met Mike in his language studio, he was dressed in a pink T-shirt and a white beard, sorting out the English course schedule and preparing lesson plans.
Mike is in class. Photo by Chen Lei
Born in Nuremberg , Germany, Mike graduated from Technical University of Munich, Germany, with a master's degree, proficient in English and German, was a university teacher, and worked as a foreign language teacher in Shanghai. He liked Chinese films, paper cutting, martial arts, history, and food culture such as hot pot and barbecue.
In 2010, Mike, who was an executive at Philips Germany branch, came to work in China and met Lei Hua, who was engaged in foreign trade sales. The two fell in love at first sight. In 2017, the two got married and Mike returned to his wife's hometown, Dong'an, the "hometown of Chinese martial arts". Every time the county holds martial arts festivals and dragon and lion dances, Mike will go to watch them.
Mike and students teach outdoors. Photo by Chen Lei
After living in Dong'an for a while, Mike decided to open a language studio with his wife so that local children can better understand external things while learning authentic English. "I want to use my language advantages and teaching experience to give Chinese children a chance to learn pure English."
In Mike's studio, the reporter saw that indoor teaching layout is highly interactive, with green colors as the main color, representing vitality. Before the age of 8, the classroom focused on childlike fun, and there were animal English stickers on the wall. In
teaching, Mike advocates Western teaching concepts, often gives children small gifts, organizes them to study outdoors, cultivate divergent thinking, and helps students open up a new world in a way that combines education and entertainment. "For example, on Halloween, we will use some pumpkins to decorate the classroom, put some candies in the small pumpkins, tell the children how European and American countries celebrate Halloween, and tell the significance of cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and the West." Mike said that on Christmas, he and his wife will transform into Santa Claus , give students Christmas stockings filled with nuts and candy, and teach them to say "Merry Christmas" and other blessings in English.
Mike also has his own set of methods in teaching. "Like words and letters, first of all, let children understand the shapes and pronunciations, and then use card picking games to strengthen their memory. For example, in the situational English of the bus, we will place the stools in the classroom as seats, and the children line up to talk to me while talking." Mike's teaching method is recognized by many kindergartens in Dong'an County, and Mike is invited to teach.
"The children are very kind to me. Every time they go to kindergarten, they pounce on me and hug me." Mike recalled that one Christmas one year, a 5-year-old student and his parents also made a Christmas card for him personally to comfort his homesickness.
settled in Dong'an for three years. Mike celebrates with his wife and friends every year. Chinese traditional festival : make rice dumplings on the Dragon Boat Festival, eat dumplings on the Lantern Festival, and reunite together for the New Year's Eve dinner during the Spring Festival. This year, due to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, Mike reduced gatherings and conveyed China's experience in fighting the epidemic to German relatives and friends through phone and video, and told them to wear masks, wash their hands frequently, and gather less.
"I love China and I am willing to pass on the Chinese experience and stories I have seen and heard to Germany, and use language to build a bridge to be a folk messenger for exchanges and cooperation between the two countries." Mike said that he also wanted to open an English corner in Dong'an to attract more Chinese children to chat, make friends in English, and learn about the colorful world. (End)
