My First Lesson

So because you’ve all been so great, another update.

So, my first lesson’s goal was suppose to be Talking on the Phone. Lets just say that the very first class was a disaster. Trust me, if there was a better word for it, I would have chosen it, but there just really isn’t.

I asked the other girls what they had done. Hayley used a worksheet and Brianna used an activity. I really liked Brianna’s activity and wanted to use that but of course when communicating the idea to the English third year teachers, this means grade nine students, the idea got a little muddled possibly because of the language barrier.

In the end, it was decided that we would use both. I edited the worksheet to me calling Batman.

Batman isn’t as well known  here though. I suppose I could have used another character, but oh well.

Eventually, after MANY classes, I got the explanation of the phone call down to a rather nice art. Which really means that the teacher just explains everything in English while I look at the class like a deer in the headlights of a rather large and crowded car of starving children. Needless to say, I didn’t always get the reactions I wanted. Really what I wanted looked a little like this:

LOOK AT THIS AWESOME LESSON!!!! WE USE PHONES!

“WOW ERICA SENSEI!! THIS LESSON IS GREAT! WORLD PEACE!”

Now, reality of course is absolutely nothing like this fanciful dream of mine. What I ended up with during the very first lesson was something more like this reaction:

This look doesn’t even NEED a caption…

 

Eventually I got things, through really great team teaching, to an average sort of okay class lesson. It was seriously difficult and nerve wracking. I wish I could have done a better job, but I think it will be just like anything else I ever do. I’m not a natural. Most people aren’t at things. Its like ripping off that band aid. Eventually, it will get easier. I will get better and the children will reap the benefits. At least this is what I keep telling myself! Hahahahaha!
For the record, the kids did seem to have a little fun when they actually listened. Sigh. Now, I’ll just have to hope I get better from here. ^_^
My Halloween lesson went over MUCH better, but that’s because I just introduced Halloween words and then we played a game with them. Everything is much easier when you don’t actually have to teach anything. Hahaha!