I have successfully survived my initiation into being an English teacher!
Okay, so week one: I was shadowing my out-going NET Sara for this week. Tuesday I just sat in in all of her classes, Wed I taught one, Tues I taught two etc etc until I eventually taught 4 classes on Saturday (My work week here in Tues-Sat). So in the entirety of the week I only taught 10 classes. I also did one model lesson for the faculty, so I guess 11? Regardless, it was nothing compared to the 32 classes I taught this week, but more on that later...
Watching Sara is class was eye opening, confusing, and overwhelming all in one. I quickly realized that the strict structure that I had just spent a week obsessing over was used...regsparingly. Especially with the older classes who work out of books not produced by Amity. She never used any sort of lesson plan, and had a really great relationship with most of her students. It was eye opening because I discovered that I had more wiggle room tan I realized, confusing because Sara did things differently than how I was just trained to do them, and overwhelming because I was realizing how on top of my game I really had to be. The mornings in the office are pretty relaxed. But once 3pm hits I have back to back classes until 9. Bam Bam Bam, right after the other, with only 5 min to put away the stuff from the last class and grab the stuff from the next and move to my next classroom. Its exhausting! And I wasn't even teaching, I was just running around following Sara.
Meeting my new students was nice. Most of them were really shy, so we spent the first few min of class playing games to get to know one another. Then I would sit back and watch Sara work (unless it was one of the few lessons that I actually taught). Most of the students warmed up to me by the end. One student of mine (a Bilingual) and I actually hit it off really well. Unfortunately I only have one more class with her before she leaves Amity due to time conflicts. All week I got a lot of astonished stares from the students who are not mine as well. There has been a poster with several photos of me and information about me hanging in the lobby for a month before my arrival, but I guess its still a shock to see a new (and so different) foreigner in person. I do a lot of smiling and waving.
I had a few students that could not handle having me around at all though. My very first class a little boy burst into tears when he saw me in the classroom with him and Sara. Nothing Sara could do would get him to calm down. i eventually had to leave the room and Manager had to come to the rescue. I was already nervous it being my first day, so I was down right miserable once that happened. After his class, however, we played around with the ball (apparently, his favorite) and he really warmed up to me. Later another girl had the same reaction. but even after I left the classroom she screamed and cried and tantrumed. She then cancelled her class the following week, I don't know if it was because of me, or because its summer vacation season... but I am worried about the next time I will have her in class. There were two others who were teary and nervous with me around. But with the help of their parents they were able to successfully make it through class.
All my first week Sara was constantly updating me on information. She wrote out an introduction to every class of mine, which was extremely helpful, but every 2min she had something new to add. I was already in a new job, in a new city, in a new country trying to figure everything out, and then I had this constant barrage of details. I honestly appreciate all of her help, but good lord there is no way I am every going to remember most of what she said! I did use her notes, however, to write my own so that I have keep a running record of each of my classes. I use those when preparing lesson plans and such. All in all, by the end of the first week I was feeling good, yet still a little nervous for taking on the full course load.
I currently have 32 classes (17 lessons). Its also summer seminar season, where students can sign up for additional classes since they are on break from school. Every day I have a JT (Japanese Teacher) handing me a student's name saying "you have a seminar with so-and-so tomorrow, please teach this unit from this book". This is my first week and I am still trying to find my own rhythm with lesson plans and now I keep getting last min ones thrown at me! I supposedly get an hour for lunch. I have yet to take that, I usually do about 20min. Early in the week I had a super panic moment when I had a seminar written in on my daily schedule that I didn't know about. I worked through my lunch to prepare for it, and make the lesson plans that I was planning on doing in that time. I swear I was close to tears I was so panicked. Then I find out it was written on the wrong day, that seminar wouldn't be until Thursday. I took a much needed 30min lunch, and then made props for the remaining time, just to do something relaxing.
After that panic mode, however, I realized that I can actually write a lesson plan pretty quickly. I use all the props that are already available to me and keep things relatively simple. I can branch out and get more creative once things slow down around the school. But for now I am striving for time efficiency and its working. Once I found my groove I was able to plan all 17 lessons by Thursday, leaving Friday and Saturday (both very busy days) to be wiiiide open. Well, I started lesson planning for next week... and prepped some props. And Saturday (the start of the lesson calendar) started a Set Working Day week, meaning no group lessons. Only private lessons and seminars. That also opened a lot of time for me.
Working with my students alone for the first time went really well! Compared to the first week I had relatively no tears. I have been sneezed on, the little brat got me right in the face and now I have a wicked sore throat. And I had a student, when practicing colors, point out to me that I am black. Good job kid, now moving on... lol. The ridiculous amount of running around I had to do once 3 hit, however, didn't change at all, in fact without Sara's guidance it got harder. I was constantly having to run tot he staff room to check my schedule and figure out which classroom I was supposed to be in next. Oh and the names of my students. I am horrible with names, so I am still struggling to keep that straight. My P4 and P5 classes (9-12 year olds) are my favorite by far. Those classes are so fun and the students are so enthusiastic! Most of my private lessons (with the Bilingual or BL students) are also a lot of fun. My floor classes with the really young kids are whatever. I don't dislike them, but I don't hate them either. The older kids though... of those jaded Jr. High and High School students. I could just scream, I am so frustrated. I know its only been two weeks, but I have no idea what I am going to do to get through to them. My trainer (I had a check up call with her on the phone this week) suggested that I get them up and moving playing games, but I'm not so sure... I'll have to figure that out. I have a pair of class clowns in a class like this, a Jr. High level one, that remind me so much of two of my goofy cousins that its hard for me to get mad at them and regulate the class. I gotta figure out how to be more strict and demand respect before its too late. Suggestions are highly appreciated.
Here is a link to my school's website: Look its me!
Unrelated to teaching, this last Wednesday Manager took me to the immigration office, city hall, and the bank. So I have all my official documentation and a Japanese bank account. The last thing I need is my Japanese phone and all is right with the world. And that is happening on Monday!
This post it pretty long, so that is all from me for now.
まったね！
～寒
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