Not the Stereotypical learning environment

I am continuing on with thoughts about various educational systems around the world.  While in China my group was lucky enough to visit a Kung Fu boarding school in Beijing.  This happened to be the same school used in the new Karate Kid movie with Will Smith's son.  I imagined the schools to be very drab with students in rows following drill and kill lessons from a teacher walking around waving a yard stick.  The environment we walked into was one of bright paintings and visuals on the walls and smiling children talking about their English lesson with each other.   Even though the desks were in rows we met excited students who were eager to show they knew words such as pizza.  As we continued down the hall to leave we also waved to numerous teachers sitting at their desks grading piles of papers.  All I could think at that point was I am just like those Chinese teachers.  I push through the papers to see the smiling faces when students are proud of new found knowledge.