I probably should have written this like a month ago. But, we all know how I feel about blogging.
Anyway, I am officially finished with my first semester of teaching! Half-way there (if this is indeed the only teaching I do). I think I have a lot to reflect on of the past 5? 6? [whatev] months. I think about my first day a lot, and how scared I was and how thoroughly unprepared I felt. And, to some degree this hasn't totally gone. I start teaching again in just a few short days and I feel unprepared, yet again. However, I learned a lot in my first few months in Bangkok. A lot of times I walked into a class completely unprepared, with a half-ass plan of a game and a worksheet, and other times I walked in with every moment of the two hour class planned--only to fail miserably. I learned what works and what doesn't. It's been a long time since I was in high school, and my American high school was really nothing like CSB. However, I do remember what it was like being 16 years old, and how not fun learning was. So, I'd like to think that I learned to cut a little bit of slack, without being too much of a pushover. It was different every day, and while most days I really wanted to pull my hair out, there were a lot of classes where I really, genuinely loved teaching.
After talking to other friends in Bangkok, who are also teachers, I feel that I have really learned what I did right and things I can do differently. Hopefully I can use some of these ideas and act like more of a teacher. Looking back on the semester I maaaaaybe had a few too many free days because the thought of teaching was so daunting. But for the few students who paid attention, I feel like I did teach them something. I truly think their English is better because of my classes. Even if that's not true I think I'll continue thinking it.
So, I guess I don't have much else to say about it. I'm glad I'm teaching. They're teaching me as much, if not more, than I'm teaching them. I hope next semester I become more confident. I hope that I can get past the noise. I hope I can be more fun. I hope that more students listen. I hope that there is a little less make up next semester. And I hope that I don't want to jump off the roof every day.
Ok, I guess that's all about that.
