Nice surprise
Aug. 10th, 2007 06:36 pmAt 6 last night my phone rang, and it was my boss at the school wanting me to cover a couple of classes today. I had the day off from the office job so I said yes.
I'm really glad I did. After the disaster that was teaching kids, I was really wondering if I ever wanted to teach again. However, today I reaffirmed that a) I can actually teach, and b) I rather like it. I was teaching adults (just - the spread was more in the 17-19 range than the early 20s that the school usually has). It probably also helped that I was teaching higher levels which I find less effort and more fun.
It was also good to discover that I am able to go into a classroom with minimal preparation (my boss picked a couple things out of textbooks for me that always work for him) and deliver something verging on a coherent lesson! Because I'm not very creative and my brain often refuses to deliver the goods on the spot, I tend to way over-prepare for my teaching.
While I was there, someone phoned in sick for next week. I could have had a full time teaching gig next week if I hadn't already committed to the office job (and I'm in no position to piss off the agency by just not showing up - I'll need work from them later). I have however told them that I'm available for 1:1 lessons in the afternoons, and it's entirely possible I'll get some work out of that.
On balance it's just as well I can't do next week - I don't think it's realistic that I'll be able to do that many hours, even just for a week. I'm completely exhausted from only doing the morning classes, and I lost my voice again despite not having to constantly tell people to be quiet. I am, however, more motivated to get my CV in shape and start writing to the local language schools in my afternoons next week.
I'm really glad I did. After the disaster that was teaching kids, I was really wondering if I ever wanted to teach again. However, today I reaffirmed that a) I can actually teach, and b) I rather like it. I was teaching adults (just - the spread was more in the 17-19 range than the early 20s that the school usually has). It probably also helped that I was teaching higher levels which I find less effort and more fun.
It was also good to discover that I am able to go into a classroom with minimal preparation (my boss picked a couple things out of textbooks for me that always work for him) and deliver something verging on a coherent lesson! Because I'm not very creative and my brain often refuses to deliver the goods on the spot, I tend to way over-prepare for my teaching.
While I was there, someone phoned in sick for next week. I could have had a full time teaching gig next week if I hadn't already committed to the office job (and I'm in no position to piss off the agency by just not showing up - I'll need work from them later). I have however told them that I'm available for 1:1 lessons in the afternoons, and it's entirely possible I'll get some work out of that.
On balance it's just as well I can't do next week - I don't think it's realistic that I'll be able to do that many hours, even just for a week. I'm completely exhausted from only doing the morning classes, and I lost my voice again despite not having to constantly tell people to be quiet. I am, however, more motivated to get my CV in shape and start writing to the local language schools in my afternoons next week.