This is currently as relevant to me as I embark on my teaching course as the students I'm teaching. To take the metaphor further I do feel a bit like I'm being thrown in the deep end but we're all learning together, I hope!
The teaching has begun! Wednesday morning meant a nerve-wracking introduction to 13 expectant faces and a 20 minute section of the lesson to fill with a game. The class had to write three facts about themselves on pieces of paper, put them in my waistcoat hood as I had forgotten to bring a bag and pick someone elses' facts out. They then had to go around asking each other questions to find the person. The class magically finished the task a few minutes before my time was up so I was able to quickly ask them what they had found out about and take a sit out of the limelight as quickly as possible.
It was fairly daunting standing up in front of a class of mainly mature ladies, some of whom fairly formidable when they started having heated discussions. One of the other trainee teachers had quite a job getting the students to stop talking to each other and finish the game and pointed out that you can't just tell adults to be quiet and sit down like kids. He settled with the very British, 'thank you, can I have your attention now please' which eventually seemed to do the trick. However maybe behaviour doesn't change so much as the students get older as one of my teacher friends admitted he came close to confiscating an adult's phone the other day.
We have a 30 minute section of the lesson to fill for the next lessons with a more formal structure, sharing listening, speaking, reading and writing tasks between the teachers as we take turns to lead the class. The students are an interesting mix of people who are paying very low rates as they are taught by trainees,which thankfully takes the pressure off a bit! Apparently some return each year at the same level to practice and for the social outing. We interviewed the students as part of our coursework to find out their aims for learning English. One rather militant lady was trying to persuade her friend to move up to the next level with her after this course but I think her friend was pretty happy being a big fish in a small pond and reluctant to take the plunge. It's really funny when a teacher tries to push the class to do something they're not entirely convinced about. They were asked to read a text in one minute, to get the gist, and we had a mutiny on our hands!
It is an eye opener being in Spain that English has become so important for them as lack of English knowledge limits travel, employment and educational possibilities. As native speakers we're so lucky that whatever part of the world we find ourselves in, it's likely someone will have some English to communicate with. My friend introduced the topic of foreign travel to her English student and found the conversation quickly hit a brick wall as the student admitted she was quite nervous to travel with her low level of English. Whenever I find myself with an international group of people, the common language we settle on is usually English which is easy to take for granted. Of course this demand for English is currently and hopefully will continue to employ me so I'm happy!
In other news Christmas is continuing to rev up over here. The concept shopping centre doesn't do justice to Roca Village, it's a purpose built toy town of designer shops that is most definitely ready for Father Christmas. Apparently they bus over hordes of people in the run up to Christmas and it's already looking the part. I was more than ready for some mince pies and carols after the visit.
In wildlife news Nana is getting a bit depressed as the teaching course means fewer trips to the beach in the morning, she has started coming into my room and sighing as I do my lesson plans.
However when we have the time, I give her an extra long hole-digging session so she's happy again. Unfortunately she gets needy and the holes have to be right next to me so I'm eventually buried but she looks so proud of herself that I am being included in her activity I go with it.
The cat, after a few months of ignoring me, has worked out my room is a top sun-bathing spot and has decided to make me her new best friend. Until siesta time is over and I have to get on with my day, then she gets very grumpy.
We also had a birthday complete with a flaming meal at a middle eastern restaurant. It is like an Aladdin's cave, looks very ordinary from the outside then was bedecked with every carpet, plate, cushion going-including tinsel for extra festivity. We were wisely advised to order less than the menu suggested and still had a major panic when we thought more food was on the way after our initial feast.
