Honestly it really could have gone better. It was all down to preperation, I found out about the job yesterday and had a ten minute phone call where the main question was are you able to work tomorrow, I asked him much more questions. Today I thought we were just supervising the placement test, so I thought grand I'll correct them when they're gone but I ended up having to do it during my half hour lunch, should have done it as some were finishing or even doing a switch around with the papers since I had some time at the end.
After that was done we were given our classes and it was then I found out there wasn't any spanish students in the class they were all french. I have the lower intermediate. So we had about an hour of 'getting to know each other' I introduced myself and asked them they're names which was got a few laughs since I could not understand what they were saying I was trying to repeat the names.
Then one of the course directors came in for something which I can't remember but she did say to me to move about with the seating.
After she left I asked the class an open question about Ireland(they're over here to learn english) I got nothing, I wasn't sure if they didn't understand or were shy(it's a class of 14-17 year olds, 11 in the class and 8 of them are guys) so I decided to ask a question about hobbies and activities I had to ask individuals the questions and I tried getting a bit more information out but not much, a bit too much french was being spoken so I'm going to have to use simpler english(it was mainly to translate) I resorted to asking about pets too I asked what the pets names were and one was something that I didn't understand but the whole class was just bursting themselves laughing and the guy seemed slightly embarrassed. I was running out of things to ask them and I couldn't get a flow of conversation going so there was a bit of me going 'ehh... ehh...'
But as stressful as it was the class seemed to relax into it at the end and seemed more open.
There is a disco on tonight which we were told today that we are ment to attend but out of the three of us starting it was one of there birthdays and my car isn't able to go anywhere, going to have to go next week. I also walked to the trainstation with one of the other teachers who gave a few helpful hints, including to have a test ready for friday
This week I'm mostly teaching present simple past and I'm not looking forward to it.
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or even competitions.
I'm an English teacher that can't spell :(
It is a summer camp, and it's really obvoius that I'm new to teaching but, you got to start somewhere! I'm going to try do more things where they move around a bit and maybe not keep points but have mini competions.
Hey,
If your first class couldn't go any better either you're a teaching genius, or sorely mistaken (with the odds being on the latter). You'll get better at it, like Alix said! Just know that because you can see your mistakes you can fix them! I have never taught a class that couldn't have gone any better, and I've been teaching for nearly 2 years if you include summer camps. (Also, I agree, that age is HARD).
I remember my first classes being difficult with this age group.. they didn´t want to speak at all even though they all knew eachother and I was the new teacher. I tried all the ice breakers I´d learned on my course like role plays and games - according to TEFL lore teenagers love this stuff - wrong! They were just chronically embarassed and it seemed like a disaster!
Don´t worry, it´ll sort itself out. They know you are nervous, teenagers are like those scary dogs who know when you´re scared! As you get to know them you´ll hit on the things they like and dislike and they´ll relax with you and each other and it will settle down. Is it a summer camp? You could try putting them in teams and keeping points - not all the time but I´ve read recently about ´team English´by someone who swore by it. I intend to use this in my next job which will be with teens. I can´t remember where I read it but maybe if you gogle it something will come up.
Good luck!
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