Andrew Aigner-MuehlerChapter 6.. My first week
December 23rd 2008 05:58
Okay! The time had come. This is, what one of my dreams was. To teach conversational English in China.
The days prior to starting classes. I was with the other foreign teacher, saying "they are our kids, out there" meaning, oh my god, what I have done. I am teaching. Am I ready for this.
The first week, was a easy week. This week, was for us, just to get to know the students, and for the students, to get to know us.
This week, I suggest, going into the class all happy and bubbly. Say hi to them. Introduce yourself, say your first and last name. Also write your name on the blackboard. Say where you are from. Draw a rough picture of Australia. Say what the states are. Put a star where you are from. Give a couple of facts about your city or Australia, but not too much. It is too overwhelming for the students. It is too much for them to take in.
Then next, tell them what we do this lesson.
Before, you go around the class to get to know the students. It is important, to set soem class rules. Do not make it too strict or tough. You want the class to be relaxing for them, but again, you do not want the students to walk all over you.
My house rule was 'respect'. I spoke to them what respect is. When some one is talking, you listen to what they have to say. Only one person talks at a time. Everyone has a opinion, they might be wrong, they might be right, it doesnt matter. Also, I tell them, you can learn by your mistakes, someone else mistakes or by someone else asking the question. After talking about respect, I said "most importantly, I want this class to be fun, I want you to enjoy English, and I want you to learn to speak and understand English。
Then I moved on to.
Now, I want to get to know you. I will go around to each of you with a little book. I want you to write your name in it, and then tell me, what your hobby is, or hobbies and followed by what you want to do when you get older.
This is the first step to get them into participating. Also hopefully to build their confidence with you, and get rid of any nerves. To break the ice basically.
Before, you start with them. Start with you. Tell the students, what your hobbies are, and what you did before you came to China. What jobs.
Before, you know, you have done your first class. By just doing this, what I have just said. This is 45 minutes work. You may have to rush through the last 15 students, if you have a class of 60 students, like myself.
You do this for all of your classes for your first week, as you only have each class once each week. The first week is done. You have a giant relief. All of your nerves are done, and now, you just starting concentrating on what to do or teach them in your second week.
That first week, was a huge morale boosting thing for me. It gave me a lot of confidence.
The days prior to starting classes. I was with the other foreign teacher, saying "they are our kids, out there" meaning, oh my god, what I have done. I am teaching. Am I ready for this.
The first week, was a easy week. This week, was for us, just to get to know the students, and for the students, to get to know us.
This week, I suggest, going into the class all happy and bubbly. Say hi to them. Introduce yourself, say your first and last name. Also write your name on the blackboard. Say where you are from. Draw a rough picture of Australia. Say what the states are. Put a star where you are from. Give a couple of facts about your city or Australia, but not too much. It is too overwhelming for the students. It is too much for them to take in.
Before, you go around the class to get to know the students. It is important, to set soem class rules. Do not make it too strict or tough. You want the class to be relaxing for them, but again, you do not want the students to walk all over you.
My house rule was 'respect'. I spoke to them what respect is. When some one is talking, you listen to what they have to say. Only one person talks at a time. Everyone has a opinion, they might be wrong, they might be right, it doesnt matter. Also, I tell them, you can learn by your mistakes, someone else mistakes or by someone else asking the question. After talking about respect, I said "most importantly, I want this class to be fun, I want you to enjoy English, and I want you to learn to speak and understand English。
Then I moved on to.
Now, I want to get to know you. I will go around to each of you with a little book. I want you to write your name in it, and then tell me, what your hobby is, or hobbies and followed by what you want to do when you get older.
Before, you start with them. Start with you. Tell the students, what your hobbies are, and what you did before you came to China. What jobs.
Before, you know, you have done your first class. By just doing this, what I have just said. This is 45 minutes work. You may have to rush through the last 15 students, if you have a class of 60 students, like myself.
You do this for all of your classes for your first week, as you only have each class once each week. The first week is done. You have a giant relief. All of your nerves are done, and now, you just starting concentrating on what to do or teach them in your second week.
That first week, was a huge morale boosting thing for me. It gave me a lot of confidence.
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