A couple thoughts on Day 1, with rose-colored glasses apparently still on . . .

Well, I made it through! This day that was so daunting to me just 24 hours ago proved to be one of the most satisfying days I’ve had in a long time. I taught three classes of Juniors today, which means kids between the ages of 6 and 10 I think, though some seem to be older.

The first class was a challenge – as it was beginners (both teacher and students) – and I was quiet literally sweating by the end of it. The second got a little easier, as I got more comfortable and the students got more advanced. This evening’s class was, hands down, the most fun I’ve had since I’ve been at this whole thing. It was simply splendid.

(More importantly, I didn’t get booed out of the classroom or have erasers thrown at me. Not even a blank stare. These were the real phobias.)

Here’s the thing – I can see how teaching would be a huge headache if you have too many students, too few resources, or unmotivated students. I know many teachers who have faced all of these problems at once and still kept at it, and I simply don’t understand.

We’re super lucky though. We teachers at this school are absolutely swimming in fabulous resources, and we’re surrounded by people who have done this for years and done it well. And even though the students are all kids, many of whom I’m sure are there of their parents’ volition and not their own, they know exactly why they’re there, and desperately want to learn this language as well and as fast as they can. Could a teacher ask for more?

(Side note: I also love the level of sheer dorkiness I’ve seen in many of the students so far, and I’m talking physical dorkiness. Big thick glasses, pants up around the waste. Think Steve Erckle. It. is. FABULOUS. And I’m really not making fun, it makes me so very happy.)

At 7:00 this evening, as my last class ended, I really just wanted to squeal with glee. It was weird. As I went back to the teachers’ room and then walked home, I tried to figure out why I felt so durn good. I think it’s simply this: I can see exactly why people do this, and I know why I’m doing it. I get it – the motivation and the desire and the energy – I can see where it’s coming from and it’s all headed in the same direction. Though I loved many things about my last job, I never felt like our motivations or even our goals were this aligned. I think it’s just that simple.

Tomorrow’s another day – all the same classes I had today. (Also, if all goes according to plan, I’m moving and potentially purchasing a motorbike on Monday, at which point I will have completed all the major tasks required to feel a little more settled . . . fingers crossed thumbs held!)

Shakin’ in my boots

So a couple of notes on my humble ESL teaching experience to date:

• Largest class taught: 4 students
• Age range of students: 15-30 years, more or less
• Most classes taught in one day: 1
• Most classes taught in one week: 4
• Class length: 20 minutes or 90 minutes

Here is a profile of the upcoming weekend:

• Largest class (all of them): 16 students
• Age range: 6-12 or something crazy like that
• Class length: 2 hours a piece
• Number of classes in one day: 3
• Number of levels: 3 . . . or 48, depending on your perspective
• Number of classes in a two-day weekend: 6
• Longest period of teaching with no prep time in between: FOUR HOURS!
• Number of students whose names I can pronounce: 0. (Well maybe 2, let’s be fair)
• Number of students I’ve ever seen before: 0.

That may not sound like much to either non-teachers or experienced teachers, but YOWZA.

The upside of this is that nothing will ever scare me again.

On TEFL and trannies and vixens . . .

So this week is grammar week, which you would expect to be poking-your-eyes-out boring. No no. Below is a list of reasons this is simply not the case. And this is only day one. Check back for updates if you wish.

1) Think of gerunds as little trannies. They’re just nouns that dress up as present participles.

2) Sample sentence, started by a student and completed by our fabulous teacher: “The smoking mama is a nimble little vixen.”

3) Twelve fiery revolutionaries and their mob ate enchiladas.

4) I will be playing tennis while you are crying.

On class . . .

We started class last Wednesday, and did our first practice teaching on Friday – whoa! Two of the cardinal rules of Cambridge’s English teaching philosophy:
1) English is the only language allowed in class, no matter what
2) The students should do 80% of the talking.
These rules apply at all times, no matter the skill level of the class. People, that is HARD. It’s good but it’s hard. And I don’t know about you but that ain’t the way my Spanish classes were taught.
Our teacher is South African, which brings me limitless joy in the first place. Just to prove that it was possible, one of the first things she did was take us through an Afrikaans lesson in which she executed the two aforementioned goals beautifully. It was super engaging, we learned a ton, and 50 minutes flew by as if they were 15. She found this fabulous rhythm and we just followed right along. I’m thinking it’s all about rhythm, timing, nonverbal communication, and knowing exactly where your students’ skill levels are (this last one is particularly hard for us because we are teaching a different set of students every week right now). I’ve got a lot to learn, and a good one to learn from. Below you can see a slideshow with some pictures of my classmates, our teacher, and our first group of students – here they’re aptly called “the friendlies.” Tell me what you think, a’ight?