"Using No Way as Way" to teach ESL

My second blog entry on this website and to those who actually take time to visit my short and limited profile, I thank you.

This is the final week for me teaching ESL for the semester here in China. I wanted to bring something very different to the class that sets me apart from all the other teachers here. I wanted a focus on the philosophical side of what it means for students to study English and how they can use this to do anything in life, not just "English teaching" or translating. Last month during my preparations, the thought just hit me-introduce Bruce Lee's philosophy for the class final exams.

I searched on many Chinese websites to find the classic and inspirational 1971 interview he did with host Pierre Burton in Hong Kong. Most of the videos posted are all without Chinese subtitles and may be difficult to show students as the video is quite old.

Nevertheless, I used this video for my class finals and the majority understood the purpose of why I showed this video and how it related to the semester course. More importantly, Bruce Lee's famous quotes such as "be like water" resonated well with the students. They understood that real life outside of academia meant having the confidence and ability to adapt to all situations. This may be the first time after a whole semester that I can honestly say they may have finally been able to honestly express themselves.

Thank you Bruce for you are still inspiring me and future generations to come.