Sending kids as young as 10 out around the town to interview foreigners that are complete strangers, take pictures together etc. What kind of teaching method is that? I find it ridiculous, am i right or is this normal?

That approach is too invasive. It depends on the location, time and questions being asked but I agree it's not an approach I would use.

One of the "best" primary schools in Kunming where parents are forced to pay bribes of up to 200,000rmb to get their kids into the school sets this type of home work, ie taking pics with laowai and getting them to sign their homework books.

师附小加油！

@Yuantongsi
that makes sense now. I've met a few in Starbucks who wanted to take pics and sign their books, but had no idea it was for homework. If the parents pay 200k, next time they'll better offer me at least a cup of coffee.

I've heard of middle schools doing this...but primary schools...? Wow.

normal, it's their homework. Take it or leave it, you shoudn't care :)

As a parent, I do care about children's education. I'm paying for it, after all.

If there is some reasoning behind this which contributes to the language-learning curve, I'd like to understand what. Right now it just seems dangerous and pointless. A Portugese student was raped in my hometown some years ago after being given the task of interviewing some locals, having been invited home by someone to finish the interview "in comfort".

From a pedagogic point of view, what is the reason for this homework?

Directed to the foreign English teachers who give out this kind of homework to the kids: may I suggest that you instead invite some foreigners (i.e people you yourself know) to the classroom for a supervised interview?

Maybe your photo will be used in their marketing. Would you be classed as an associate teacher?
Me, paranoid and cynical? In these shoes?

It makes some sense. The child would have to use some English to approach a laowai and the picture and signing of the homework book are verification.

But, that's about all that makes sense about it. As everyone has noted, the danger, laziness, worthlessness, intrusiveness, and so on, of the exercise makes no sense.