First Term Completed!

I seem to have survived my first term as a 'proper' teacher in Barcelona and I think the experience has definitely taught me a thing or two.

The kids are alright (most of the time)

In January I started my job at a private languages academy teaching mainly kids between 7 and 9 years old. I initially thought the maximum class size of 8 students would help ensure an element of control however when playing high octane games and charging around enthusiastically during the songs, not to mention the undoubtably increased volume in Spain, I can feel like I've signed up to a peace-keeping mission. 

Just last week all hell broke loose when a kid's tooth fell out, after much drama and playing with it to the other students' delight. He got so carried away with his excitement and anticipation of El Ratoncito Perez's visit (the Spanish equilvalent of the tooth fairy is a mouse) that he promptly lost his tooth and started gearing up to major panic mode. Thankfully he quickly found it on the table and rushed off to the boss to put it in an envelope for safe keeping after rejecting my idea of wrapping it in paper as not being up to the job. Needless to the say the rest of the class was a bit of a write-off as excitement levels were high.

A class can feel suspiciously like the correfoc-or devils and dragons running wild with fireworks for fiesta

Although it can be fairly draining and I've lost my voice twice, I can't deny that every class does provide its own entertainment. From one boy who sings word-perfect Uptown Funk absentmindedly (complete with dance moves) to another who runs into tables everytime in his excitement to have the ultimate honour of writing on the board. The most recent collision was accompanied by very convincing play acting of a broken bone at the least which had me fooled until he started laughing uncontrollably. 

Always a merry-go-round of emotions

We also - ironically, worryingly? - have fairly frequent disputes about pronunciation and general issues with my grasp of the English language. I don't pretend to be the master of all knowledge but I am pretty clear on the difference between cloudy and foggy, as well as the consensus (outside Spanish classrooms at any rate) that sneaky is not pronounced snacky. The kids are yet to be fully convinced of my capabilities, partly because I think my tactic of pretending not to understand them when they speak Spanish is interpreted as a lack of intelligence on my part and I'm given patronising and pitying looks by the 8 year olds.

Teaching adults

The rest of my classes are mostly private classes with adults on a one-to-one basis, in contrast to my course for which all the teaching practice was teaching classes of around 6 to 12 students. 

The English language is a labyrinth

In contrast, with adults, my status as being a font of all knowledge on everything to do with the English language makes me feel a bit under pressure at times. If anything looks unfamiliar my first call is to either blame it for being American or old-fashioned, failing this I curse the English language as being illogical and say I'll try to think of some more concrete rules for the next class. As slapdash as this may seem, the English language is illogical and constantly evolving both over time and due to the contrasting countries who speak it so my observations do tend to be accurate. Most of the old-fashioned offenders spring from Game of Thrones and having to decipher the meaning of some of the stranger phrases is not encouraging me to start watching it at all.

Teaching enthusiastic students of all ages is rewarding and especially teaching a one-to-one class gives you the opportunity to create lessons that will work for the individual. One of my students is now signing off whatsapps with 'see you later alligator' which I deem as a big success.

Timetable and lifestyle adjustments

I thought I was adjusting slowly to the Spanish lifestyle before Christmas but I am now becoming quite the stereotype. The majority of my classes are after school/work so peak time is from 4pm to 9.30pm, therefore if I can grab a quick siesta before I have a much better chance of surviving the afternoon until a late dinner. Then I hope to be able to fit in a coffee in the sun/run along on the beach/or least attractive option=lesson planning during the day before classes.

I've even been taught how to make tortilla! Which was made into an increasingly more surprised pacman until he was all eaten. The evidence misguidedly went to the temporary realm of snapchat rather than permanent evidence of our wit. Home-made tortilla and guacamole was a very successful combination.

So it's all fairly rosy