Good thing: I love having a classroom again. It fills my little teacher heart with joy. Even though I am teaching English, it's still a foreign language to my students and it's so cool to watch them learn new words, express themselves in ways that are unfamiliar but so rewarding, and decipher complicated texts. It makes me giddy!
Not-so-good thing: I don't really know that much about teaching English. I know it well, obviously, and I know the methods for teaching foreign languages but sometimes I feel like I don't explain a grammar point well because I don't really know the "why" behind it. I know even less about business. Seeing as I work at a business school, I sometimes feel like my students look at me like, "Why don't you know that? You're the teacher." That's a new feeling for me and I'm not sure I like it very much.
Solution: Bone up on the rules of English. Carry a grammar reference, just in case. Learn about business while learning about English. There are about a million books at the CEL for exactly that purpose! Remind students that you are not a business teacher but a language teacher and content specific questions can be directed to their content teachers.
Good thing: I share the work for all my planning and prep with a whole bunch of other teachers. It's great that I don't have to do every single thing myself. We meet to share some ideas and come up with the general goals of each session but then most of the content is developed by someone else. I don't even have to make my own copies; I just send them off to the printer and I pick them up later!
Not-so-good thing: Sometimes I don't feel as prepared as I would like to because I didn't do any of the leg work to put the lesson together. I am used to hand-crafting every piece of my lessons so I know them inside and out by them time I actually go to teach them. With someone else doing most of the prep, I don't feel as connected to the lesson. I am also used to having clear, measurable objectives to meet at the end of each lesson and a pre-determined final assessment to work toward. These things are non-existent (for now.)
Solution: Take the resources you're given but work the meat of the lesson in your own way. In meetings, push to set up objectives for each lesson, even if they are not quite as precise as you're used to. Write lesson plans including key questions to stay organized and push students' thinking.
Good thing: I am really stretching myself professionally by teaching some very high level groups. They are quick and motivated and it's super exciting. Even with my lower groups, they are able to do soooo much more than I could ever have dreamed with my Spanish students back in Baltimore. Some of my students are only 17 and I am still blown away by how much they know and can do.
Not-so-good thing: I don't know if I am doing a very good job of teaching my top students things they don't know and picking out things to work on for my lower students.
Solution: Don't be so hard on yourself. It's your first week! You've only seen the top classes once. As long as they are talking a lot, they are learning. For the first year kids, give them more opportunities to speak and write so that you know where their weaknesses are. They need the practice, too. Break them into small groups more often. Scaffold higher level thinking questions into the lesson. Cold call, wait time, basic stuff. You ain't no rookie, Stich.
Good thing: I get to teach a wide range of subjects, levels, and ages. I have tons of classes and it seems like I get assigned more everyday. It feels good to be trusted with so many different responsibilities.
Not-so-good thing: I am still getting used to this system and I don't even know what I'm supposed to be teaching for half of these courses. They all start on different days and there is no rhyme or reason for when they meet so I live in constant fear of missing a class.
Solution: Buy a planner. Ask questions early and often. Get with other people who are teaching the same courses and see what they are working on so you have an idea of what you need to teach. And remember that everyone is in the same boat. Not even the people in charge know exactly what's going on all the time because the merger got everything all messed up. Be patient.
Good thing: The school is easy to get to on tram/bus. The CEL is right up the street.
Not-so-good thing: The tram is PACKED both ways on my commute to Kedge. Everyone is touching everyone else for the whole 20 minute ride. No wonder I'm sick.
Solution: Seriously consider a bike. No, for real this time.
Good thing: I have a job again, which means I have an income and it means I have something to do with my life. I have a purpose. I matter. I will be getting a social security number, which means I will have health insurance, which means I can go to a doctor if I need to and it won't cost a bunch of money but even more importantly, it means I can participate in sports!
Not-so-good thing: I don't have my contract yet and I have no idea when we get paid. Does my contract need to be signed before I can get paid? Do I need a SSN in order to complete my contract?
Solution: Relax. Patience is a virtue. The Joanne is taking care of it. Everything that I needed to do, I have done and I will do anything they ask in a timely manner. They have a lot of people to process right now but it will get done.
In summation, this is pretty great. I am very fortunate to have found this gig and I am really excited to keep improving and helping some kids learn English. It's good to be home.
