Day 2 26/05

26/05 Day 2 45 合肥高中

Today, we went to 45 合肥高中 for lessons. We reached there at 9am and left the school for a tour of our buddy's house at 5.30pm. How the lessons were conducted were drastically different from how they were held in Singapore. Each lesson lasted for 40 mins and had a 10 mins break in between lessons. There were a set number of lessons each day, which was 4 in the morning until 12 noon and another 4 in the afternoon after a long break from 12 noon to 2.30pm for lunch. Surprisingly, there was no canteen or such in the school, so all the students without fail went home for lunch. They have no other choice. In my opinion, the system in china of having a short break in between lessons is what I would like to have in school as well. Even of that means that we might be released later at the end of the day. Having such a break would give the students enough time to consolidate what exactly was taught in the previous lesson and sufficiently prepare themselves for the next. They would also be able  to leave their seats and rejuvenate themselves. Unlike in Singapore, with the lessons one after another, at times even 5 hours without a single break, I often find myself tired and restless. Like a worn-out battery, one would not be able to concentrate fully, even if one wants and needs to do so.  Another significant difference between the system in schools would be a time for eye exercises in between lessons. Such an exercise, with the soundtrack broadcasted through the PA system, does not take much time. However, I believe that it does have benefit the students' physical well being in the long term. Something I observed would be that the number of bespectacled students are in the minority. Which is clearly the opposite for the students in our class.

-Ong Gee Hun (14)