One of the most interesting things about working with children is you never quite know what they’ll ask you next. I’ve found this to be the case regardless of where in the world I’ve worked – including in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland and my point of origin, as well as here in Nanjing. At the moment, there are a few common questions that I get asked multiple times a week. These are usually along the lines of: “Teacher Owen, can you speak Chinese?”, or “Teacher Owen, do we need coloured pens this week?”. Recently though, I was asked a question that caught me completely off guard. One of my Grade 5 pupils asked me why all the men in Scotland wear skirts, and do I wear a skirt, and why am I not wearing my skirt now? It took me a moment to realise he was asking me about kilts, one of the traditional items of clothing in Scotland.
I can understand the confusion on their part – kilts do indeed look a lot like skirts, but are their own separate item of clothing. A more patriotic Scotsman may have launched into a defensive, in-depth lecture at that point, but I used the opportunity to talk briefly about national clothes around the world – fitting, as Grade 5 has been learning about countries of the world this semester! I explained to them that kilts are not worn all the time, but usually for formal events, such as weddings and ceilidhs (traditional Scottish dances). I briefly went over the history of kilts and their various colours, or tartans, and how Scottish people are very proud of them! We discussed what clothes are worn in China for formal events and national celebrations, and any important meanings or traditions associated with these clothes. I learned a lot from my pupils about what they enjoy wearing, and the history behind some of these clothes.
The experience helped me to understand that the role of a teacher, particularly an ESL teacher, is about much more than just drilling pupils on vocabulary and lecturing them on how best to use the English language. It’s about building bridges between cultures, teaching the students about the wider world and broadening their horizons, while also learning a lot yourself from them! Good classrooms have learning that goes both ways, and I have experienced that first-hand on a number of occasions. I’m always happy to share stories about Scotland and Scottish culture, especially if I can learn more about other cultures in return!
