China's culture is very different from Wesern culture. I expect it'll take years for significant changes in this area to occur,
I feel sorry for both Chinese pupils at middle schools and their teachers because they are studying and involved at school for long hours, respectively.
I was very surprised when Shanghai pupils came out most knowledgeable in an international survey. It appears that despite the emphasis on rote learning as opposed to how and why when material is taught pupils do well.
Re what you've been saying about leftie lecturers, my uni experienmce was that a top uni most lecturers were dressed in suits and had short hair, They tended to be aloof, Some of the younger lecturers wore jeans and had long hair. They tended to be friendly to students. I thought they were likely to be on the left, but in science, classes do not involve dissecting Owell's works.
At my college of education, the department of sociology had mainly casually dressed lecturers with long hair. Though I didn't like the subject, and wasn't used to lectures that didn't involve copying lengthy notes from blackboards, I got B's and C's in my compulsory essays, which pleased me as my background was not in the arts.
Yep, lecturers are sitting pretty - I'd have bitten the hand off of anyone who offered me such a post in the UK. Of courrse, some of them are so full of themselves that they come across ads academic snobs. I have met some like that in China. One thing about you as a uni lecturer in China is that you wouldn't come across like that to your students, a good thing in my view.

I did mean "... soon shut down" - didn't proof read it, so an error

Yes, on second thoughts I doubt that the board's existence depends on the forums being well supported. I think it is on account of the adverts from Chinese employers seeking FTs. Anyway, it is well-established now.

Although I don't disagree with your general comments on middle-schools I just find it hard to grasp that they are all the same.

I didn't mean to convey the impression that they are all the same. I feel sorry for the Chinese students and their Chinese subject teachers. Discipline-wise it's the class teacher, whom we would refer to as the guidance teacher, who has a major influence on the class. At state-run schools, teachers generally say teaching is a thankless job, but they regard it as a job for life as it's very hard to be fired. At private high schools, staff have fewer perks, lower salaries, more accountability for their job performances, and students of lower academic quality.

The Chinese teachers I talk to seem committed enough to the task but they too complain about the system (at least to me). One teacher I speak to often is a senior teacher in her 40s. She introduced a new syllabus for English language teaching and had several classrooms redecorated with lots of pictures and stimulus materials - what we'd expect in an English or Scottish classroom. The seating was arranged cafe style and small group work encouraged. She was responsible for teacher-training and getting all the other teachers in the project group on-board. For several months there was a buzz about the project and students enjoyed the change. One Chinese male teacher was against the whole idea as he told her it would involve more work. He became very difficult and confrontational. She asked me how I would deal with him. I doubt if the project will extend beyond this academic year.

Students must change their seating positions regularly. No attention is paid to their eyesight problems. They are not interested in spoken English as it isn't examined. Neither is it part of the Gaokou. One thing rhat annoys many readers is my desire to have a TA. She can be a great asset, in my view.

Students are indeed under a lot of pressure right up to the Gaokao examination. Respect for teachers is written into the Education Law. I've never been in the armed forces so cannot make the comparison but if you mean regimentation and strict discipline I'm sure you are right. It's their way of maintaining control with so many students now in full-time education. Military training also extends into the 1st year of university.

Yes, but you know, between classes students will scuffle and throw books across the classroom. The Chinese teachers allow this. I'm surprised I haven't seen someone lose an eye!

There are a couple of new businesses near us that have just opened or are close to opening. One of these is a 5-star hotel (don't ask if this is a Western or Chinese rating system as I don't know yet). The adherence to hierarchy and military ways of doing things is evident in some of the training I witness on a daily basis.

Yes, let the waiters know they are the lowest tier of employment! In China every student wants to become a little boss at worst. Farmers are looked down upon.

I have left teaching and do not intend to return although I get asked a lot. Maybe you could write about middle-schools to extend my knowledge?

I could, but I type with one finger, and China has made me extremely lazy! Sorry, I won't!

The cafe business is doing very well because we focus on quality, cleanliness/hygiene and good customer care. I'm just working on the figures for the first 6 months of operation. The figures also include "visitor" numbers and I was staggered to see we are serving over 3,000 people a month. It's only a small business with 24 covers(now) so it's quite encouraging. I've also just written what I will call a customer care charter (or something less grand) where we outline our promises and refunds policy. To my way of thinking this will give us an edge on the competition but time will tell.

It's good that you are busy. You are the kind of person who is used to that way of life. I used to be like that, but now I'm used to being lazy!