My life  as a  teacher  began in the  United  Kingdom  18  years ago, but my real life as a teacher and true educator  began  as  an Oral  English Foreign  Expert  at Lixian Vocational and Technical Institute   back   in    September 2007.   I will   never   forget   the moment  I   first  arrived  at   the institute for the rest of my life.  I was  greeted by hundreds of students who welcomed me so warmly as if I were a long lost friend  returning from  a  long  journey.  The  atmosphere  and excitement  that  I  experienced  was  amazing  and  I   knew immediately  that  coming  to  China  and  teaching  at Lixian Vocational and Technical Institute had been the best decision of my entire life and teaching career. I was finally somewhere that  I  could  truly  call  home  and  this  was to be the place where I could be free, creative and passionate about providing the  highest  possible  quality  of  English  Foreign  Language education that  I  was both physically and  mentally  able  to provide.

All of the students who  I  have taught  have  always,  without exception, shown me the upmost respect. Not just because I am a foreigner who works exceedingly hard both in and out of the  language  classroom,  but  because  I  opened my heart, soul and mind to each and every student,  treating  them  not only with total respect for the unique individuals that they truly are, but as if each and everyone of them was my own child. I have always and will continue to love them all unconditionally and  my  only  goal  is  to  continue to nurture and encourage every student to experience with total joy,  the  exciting  and rewarding  world of  English foreign language education  in  a way that they have never before experienced.

The students and  I have always worked together  as  a  team because  we  understand  that  we  are all responsible for the language  learning  that  takes  place  within  each  and every lesson  and  we  must  continually unite forces in order to be successful.   It  has always been my  belief  that  as  an  EFL teacher  my  primary  function  is  to  provide  a  secure, non-judgemental, anxiety free and 100%  trusted  teacher-student relationship with each and every student, and it is this trusted bond  that  is  indeed  the  most  important  factor  within any successful foreign language classroom and especially  so  at Lixian Vocational and Technical Institute.

My  job  has always been as a provider,  an instigator  and  a facilitator  of   knowledge,    who    simply   pulls   out   these students’ natural   and  ever amazing  untapped  knowledge and   talent  for  speaking  English.   My real  function  as  a  foreign language expert, however,  is  not  only  to encourage students   to be individual and creative in their thoughts and opinions,  but  it is also the co-existence of  well thought out and   very    finely  tuned   balances   of   eclectic   teaching methodologies    and    humanistic   approaches  that  I have adopted,  adapted   and  implemented  for   each  and  every  foreign language class in order  to  cater  for every   learning style and language level. This with a combined with absolute dedication  and  passion  for  language  teaching has   been   the   true  key  to  unlocking   the  door  to  these  students’ EFL success which can  so  evidentially be seen throughout each and every classroom within the school.

I  am  also very passionate  in  my  belief  that  as  a  foreign language expert it is my fundamental duty to  create  a good, solid, practical and real-life  functional  language  syllabus  to support and enhance not  only  quality  lesson  planning  and classroom    instruction,    but    fluent    and     competent communication   skills  within  students.  In  addition,    I am continually and constantly developing a never ending in-depth awareness of students’ educational and emotional  needs and this   requires   me  as  an  EFL  instructor to constantly  re-evaluate   my   own   professional  skills  and  undertake any necessary professional  development in order  to employ an even  more finely tuned and  higher level  of  educational standards within my classroom.  Student  success  is  worth more to me than anything and  my never  ending   dedication and commitment to Lixian Vocational and Technical Institute will remain.

I can never express enough sincere thanks to the truly valued and   never   ending   support  of   all  the Leaders, the Vice-Principal’s   Mr.Wu,   Mr.Peng,   Mr.Zhu,   Mr.Zhang   and Mr.Ren  and  especially  to the Headmaster   Mr. Lu (Louis),  who   I   can   only   describe    as    the   most  outstanding  headmaster  I  have ever had the privilege and honour to work with in my 18  years as  an educator.  All   of the   Leaders’ unquestionable dedication to   Lixian  Vocational  and  Tech-nical  Institute   and   sheer  determination that  all  students have the right to be highly and successfully   educated   has   continually   and   will forever, inspired  me  to  educate  and  give  unconditionally,   without shame and most definitely to the best of my ability.

I  feel  that  I  must  also  mention  the outstanding staff  and English   department  in  Lixian   Vocational   and  Technical Institute. All of the teachers are not  only  dedicated  to  their work,  but they  genuinely  care  about  the  progress  of  the students and are always  willing  to  provide  support   where needed. Weekly staff meetings provide us with a solid forum to discuss class and individual student problems or progress, as well as looking  at  text books  and  examination  material that needs to be covered and practiced through out the term. We always try  to  create  a  positive  learning  and  working environment whilst spending time discussing ways of how we can move forward as a successful team and what needs to be implemented to create continued success within the school.

Working and living in Lixian is a priceless and treasured once in a lifetime experience  that  can  never  be  truly  described, only   truly   experienced.   The   local   people  are   inviting, accepting, warmly welcoming and they would do anything for you in order that life and general living is just   that   little   bit easier. I have forged many, many local friendships and believe that these friendships will truly be life long as the locals have accepted me and I accepted them as if we were all part of the same family.

I regularly walk into town and always stop  and  say  hello  to people. I have shared many memorable moments of  fun  and laughter even when at times we can’t communicate in words, body language has provided much entertainment  and  many smiles all round!

All that I  have  left  to  say  is  that  the  students  at  Lixian Vocational and Technical Institute are always and will forever be in my thoughts and heart 24 hours  a  day  because  they have made me  the  richly diverse  and  experienced  foreign expert that I am.   Without such diversity  and  experience  I would have never continued to pursue  my  own  professional development and the completion  of  my  MA in TESOL  and Applied Linguistics.

Lixian Vocational and Technical Institute,  will  always  be for me, the number one institution in Hunan. I  truly  believe  that Vocational and  Technical  Institutions,  such  as Lixian,  will become the desired learning Institutions of the future because they equip students with solid practical life skills that will  be so   desperately  required  by  International   businesses   in China’s continued and very successful global expansion.

By Natalie Connell - Lixian Vocational and Technical Institute, 5th December, 2008