Sunday, September 28, 2008

50 first dates

Except not with Adam Sandler. =(

I've been teaching for a week and I've had 6 different classes. Each one feels like a blind date. I do my best to get ready, but I never know what I'm getting into. I get just a few notes from the previous teacher about what they covered in the last session, and I have to figure out where to go from there. I never know how much English they'll know, I never know how old they'll be, how many men vs. women (although, so far all of my students - with the exception of two girls and two boys in the Supertots class - have been men). Since I'm the new teacher, I've been doing a lot of substitute teaching for teachers who've left or who went on a visa run or whatever. And I'm never quite sure what I'm supposed to be doing, and I have no idea if I'll ever see those students again. I'm holding on to the thread of hope that once I get my real schedule for October I'll start feeling more comfortable with my classes, and I'll have some idea of how to pace my lessons. But who knows?


Yesterday I was feeling pretty good because I had one class scheduled for tonight - with students I'd already taught once. I planned out a lesson and had intended to spend the day at the beach. But as I was getting dinner last night I got a call. The American teacher, Mr. J had gotten into a motorcycle accident and they needed me to cover his class. Actually they wanted me to cover two of his classes... but I knew that was too much for me, so I agreed to take one, from 3-5pm. But there went my trip to the beach. =( Also, Mr. J hadn't listed what page numbers they'd covered in the previous lesson, so again, I'm clueless about what to cover. I think I'll just do some review, then skip ahead to the next module.


I hate being a crappy teacher. I really want to feel like I'm actually teaching something... but it hasn't happened yet. =( So, again I'm sitting here just a ball of anxiety with no clue what's going to happen in class tonight. And I can't even imagine what it's going to be like in October when I start teaching full time. I only had 16 hours of teaching this week, I'll have 25 when I go full time. Why am I doing this again???


TAG - Bananas

4 comments:

IamSusie said...

Reb- I think your apartment looks nice and bright! You have a gorgeous view!

This sounds like substitute teaching. Just getting through it with a nice attitude is an achievement that your students will appreciate. These are mostly adults and they probably know that you are new and aren't sure what is going on. Keep going through the motions and try to maintain a good rapport with the students in front of you at class and it will get easier!

Lady Miss Violet said...

I think the picture of you at the beach shows how happy you are now. I'm glad this adventure is suiting you and going so well. Bananas aren't bad...

Rebel said...

Thanks Susie... I have to say, for all the craziness, I am surviving. And with the exception of my supertots class, I've managed to actually fill the time with something aproximating an English lesson.

miss violet - yeah, that is why I'm here. I've got my full schedule now, and I might need to make a visa run this weekend, so I'm not sure when I'll get back to the beach... as soon as possible though!

Michael5000 said...

Shouldn't that be "not with Adam Sandler. : )"

What, was that snotty?

You are the grand master of wingin' it. I bet this new round of wingin' it will turn out juuuuust fine.

: )