Volunteer Locations: Shanghai

Shanghai is a dynamic, diverse and stimulating city – the very epitome of modern China. Although Shanghai cannot rival Beijing in scenery or cultural heritage, its varied architectural styles and cosmopolitan feel give it a charm of its own. A walk through this booming city reveals many glimpses of its colorful past. Hidden amongst the skyscrapers and express ways are remains of the original Shanghai, important memorials to the founding of New China and many remainders of early 20th century Western influences. There are also examples of how the city has managed to transform some of its older building into elegant structures serving the needs of an increasingly cosmopolitan city.

Shanghai has developed faster than almost any city in the world in the last 15 years, with its population rising to over 21 million. Migrant laborers have flooded in from the surrounding countryside and as people have sought more space and the city government has rushed to develop surrounding areas the city has expanded to a total area of over 2,400 square miles.

The city is an ideal destination for metropolitan tours. It has always been known as a thriving metropolis, convenient in communications, intermingled in Chinese and Western cities. There is also a great desire and need for English Teachers in this city and many schools which cannot afford native speaking English teachers.

Volunteer Projects in Shanghai

We work with 20 schools throughout Shanghai City including the below:

Kindergarten Assistant
The children in our kindergarten are aged from 4 to 7 years old. There are about 450 children in the kindergarten. Volunteers here assist the regular teacher in the classroom in different areas such as Music, Drawing, Dancing, PE and craft.

Primary School, English teaching, Summer camps
The Primary school students are aged 7 to 12 years old. Volunteers teaching in the primary schools will teach 11-15 lessons each week, with each lesson lasting 35 minutes. However for those volunteers that need help with classroom management an assistant can be arranged to help take care of the classroom. Volunteers will learn how to teach and write lesson plans from their school supervisor and will usually follow the school curriculum. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to be take charge of an English play or western festival activities at the school.

Secondary School, English teaching
Secondary school students are aged 12-15 years old and there are typically 30 to 40 students per class. In addition to teaching English volunteers will also have the chance to teach music, art, football or basketball. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to be in charge of the school play, western festival activities or the English corner at the school.

High Schools, English teaching
The high school students are aged from 16 to 19 years old. We teach English 11 to 15 lessons in the school. Volunteers will conduct the lessons on their own after a 1-2 week induction. The English level is relatively high in the high schools. Volunteers will have the opportunity to assist in extracurricular activities with the school as well.

Summer Camps
Chinese schools are closed in July and August for summer holiday. During this time volunteers help out at the English Summer Camp in Jing Feng Town. Every semester we try and improve the structure and quality of these camps. A typical day teaching at a camp involves two/three hours of English lessons followed by an afternoon of games and activities. The aim of these camps is to allow students to practice their English skills in a fun and interesting way.

During the summer period there will be lots of teaching activities however we do require that volunteers be flexible. This applies especially at the start and end of the holiday period when many schools and students are reluctant to have lessons.

French and German Teaching
Volunteers can also teach French and German in 3 language schools in Shanghai. French and German are not part of the Chinese national curriculum, so volunteers will need to plan lessons and provide teaching materials for themselves. Students are not studying for an exam and the emphasis is on encouraging students interests in other languages and cultures. The schools would also be very happy for volunteers to organize French or German culture months within the schools. Volunteers will usually teach between 11 to 15 lessons a week (35 to 40 minutes per lesson) which can be combined with primary school English teaching.

We teach French and German in the Pu Dong Primary and Secondary Schools which are large well facilitated boarding schools in Eastern Shanghai. Its also possible to teach German at the Tong Ji No. 2 High School, which is affiliated with Tong Ji University (one of the top 10 universities in China) and as a result the standard of students is generally very high, although German language levels will still be extremely basic.

Work with Disabled Children
Travel to Teach sends volunteers to the CereCare Wellness Centre for Children. This center is a facility specializing in the care and education of children suffering from Cerebral Palsy. CB is a condition caused by a brain injury that occurs before or shortly after birth. Because physical development is impaired a child with Cerebral Palsy has trouble controlling the muscles of the body.

Depending on what part of the brain is affected, a child might not be able to walk, talk, eat, or interact in the way most kids do. As a volunteer at the Centre one can help take care of and play with the children, help with the children’s personal development and hygiene education. Volunteers can also help the staff design the curriculum and help with the centers website by updating the information and writing reports and articles for it. Volunteers trained in nursing or medicine may be able to help with the children’s treatment plans. This is a truly worthwhile and rewarding project to take part in as a volunteer.

Photo Gallery: Shanghai

General Shanghai Information

Accommodation
Volunteers either live in a shared room at T2T's flat or at school accommodation. The flat has air conditioning, washing machine, shower, TV, computer, and water dispenser.

Food
During the week volunteers will eat in the School cafeteria. Volunteers will receive 3 meals per day in the schools from Monday to Friday. Over the weekend volunteers must purchase their own food. Because Shanghai is an international city there is every type of food and restaurant available from all types of Chinese food to all types of Western food ranging from the inexpensive (but delicious!) street stalls to fine dining restaurants.

Weather
Shanghai has a subtropical maritime monsoon climate, with four distinct seasons. The weather can mostly be described as moderate with a warm spring, hot summer, cool autumn, and cold winter with temperatures almost never getting into the extremes. The rainy/summer season runs from June through September. Light rains fall from June through July, a time which is known in China as the “Plum Flower Rain” season while torrential rains occur later in the summer. The average temperature is around 18 degree Celsius and the annual precipitation 1,240 millimeters.

Activities
There are endless activities to take part in and around Shanghai. Volunteers can use their weekends to explore the many wonders and sights of Shanghai City and the surrounding villages. There are numerous museums, temples, botanical gardens, and famous shopping districts to explore. A few of the highlights of Shanghai are the numerous ancient and modern tea houses which remain an important part of Chinese culture, and the Huju Opera which is an authentic piece of Shanghai folk culture. Shanghai is a great place to explore culinary delights with Chinese food available from all regions of China, not to mention the rest of the world. Volunteers can also take a variety of classes in their free time from Martial Arts to Chinese Calligraphy, and many more.