SURVIVED!!!

Hoped this would be the case! I worried and worried and worried about my first lesson, feeling sick with nerves, then as soon as I got 5 minutes into the lesson, I just didn’t have the space in my head to think about anything but what I was doing!

I spent this morning planning what activities I wanted to do, then had the fun task of trying to work out how to show my photos on the classroom computer – impossible to decipher the Chinese characters, so got other teachers and students to help me!

After getting over the initial fears (and the shaking subsided!) things were ok. My first grade 6 class were very able, and had a good understanding of English. There are about 40-45 in a class, and they are 11 and 12 years old, so was wrong before! (These grades are confusing!) Their teacher stayed in to observe me, but didn’t get involved which was great, meant I could just be myself. In the end he just left the classroom and let me get on with things. I showed photos of my family, pets and friends, got them to ask questions, went over what I expected in class – got them to discuss what makes a good teacher/student first so we shared expectations. Played some games, had to be quite strict as they could be quite noisy! All I heard during my TEFL training was how quiet and wonderful Chinese students were – not so in our massive private boarding school! Maddy, my flatmate, had a nightmare with grade 5 before lunch, so I was determined not to let them get away with anything! After my lesson I had good feedback from Paul, who said my lesson went well and that it was good to be firm to begin with, as they can be naughty. My second class was harder, as they were not so confident speaking English so I had to change my activities a little, but despite there being more noise and chaos, 40 minutes goes quickly and before I knew it the music was playing to signal end of lesson. Such a relief to have survived! Will feel even better by Friday once I’ve met most of my classes. We’ve all just been out for dinner together to celebrate being here and getting through our first day teaching. I got to have chocolate milkshake so extra happy right now! Hehe. Easily pleased J Just wish everyone else on the internship were having the same kind of experience, I am hating hearing about others stuck on their own or still waiting to be placed even, whilst stranded in the hotel in Beijing! Not good! Placement destinations are purely down to pot luck it seems. Really hope some silver linings appear for those people soon...

• China internship
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