Dear Blog,
We are into our final week of teaching and it’s hard to
believe that this time next week, we will all be back in the UK. Today, I have had to say farewell to a
couple of classes and literally went out with a bang! Another winner lesson of Kill The
Teacher! Some of the stories they have
been coming up with would give you nightmares!
I am trying not to take it personally!
I have been teaching mostly Year 7 students with a couple of
Year 10 classes. There are roughly 30
students in each class which was a little daunting at first, to have 60
expectant eyes staring back at you from Day 1! For the first week, we observed our teachers
and it became clear that at this time of year, the students are preparing quite seriously for
their final exams and their teachers are keen that all the relevant material is
covered before the end of term. So after
arriving from Wales with all our newfound TBLT techniques and starter
activities, I was pretty much given a text book and work book to follow. Despite feeling a little disheartened at the
prospect of working through the books over the following 3 weeks and putting
all of Michael’s ideas on the back burner, I have managed to use some of the
warmers and activities to make a number of classes more exciting and
interactive for the students.
The highlight for me has been the conversation club I have
been running every afternoon except Wednesdays.
This is the point at which I really feel I can use the material I was so
looking forward to trying out. I have a
room to myself where I can arrange my smaller group of about 10-14 students
into a circle conducive to language learning and conversational English. Here, I have been killed time after time,
played noughts and crosses, Bingo, been
stranded on a Desert Island, mingled
with students, discussed our futures, dreams, ambitions and fears and generally
conversed and had fun using as much English as possible.
I have also learned a great deal from the seemingly formal
teaching of my general classes. It has
been an invaluable experience and a real confidence boost. As I reflect now, in the final week, I have
come to conclude that this exposure to a traditional teaching environment has
been something which I needed to experience.
It has enabled me to think about my planning in a more structured way, neatened up my board work and also helped me
to brush up on some basic grammar points!
My situation in signing up for this programme was slightly different to
some of my other colleagues in that I was not newly qualified but I had been
out of teaching for 8 years. To be
standing in front of a class for the first time was a shock to say the least. However, after the initial shock, things
start coming back to you! The teachers at the school I have been working with
have been a constant support and have assisted and guided where necessary. Most importantly, they have allowed me to work alone from the start and
have given positive feedback and encouragement at times when I have felt the
difficulties of making myself heard on a hot Friday afternoon amongst 30
restless students who are ready for the weekend. It has been at these times where I have
questioned my role and success as a teacher but been encouraged by the
realities of this being a common situation for all teachers and not everyday
can be a success in the classroom. It is
interesting with activities you set up....they can work wonderfully with one
group in the morning and just be a flop in the afternoon! The beauty of trying these things out though
is the more you do it, the more you can perfect it! Sometimes, just more modelling of the
activity or drilling of the language could have saved your bacon!
Preparation and
planning for classes has also been a bit of a shock to the system as well as
getting up at 6:30am (!?) In particular,
the planning of classes was tricky in the confined spaces of our shared rooms
and getting the peace and quiet required
whilst having to use the internet only in the reception area! However, after a couple of weeks of this, to
plan a lesson alone has now become a little unnerving. Even to be sitting alone for nearly an hour
without a knock on your hotel door or someone coming round to borrow a bog
roll, eat all your crisps and drink all your wine seems odd and they will be things
I will greatly miss!!!! (I refer to
myself here....and with regards to Lisa and Ellie....drinking all your vodka
and eating all your biscuits)! Even reading an email whilst having 3
conversations and a skype interview all at the same time has now become a
doddle!!
Another wonderful resource and support has been the rest of
the group and even though it seems like I have been having a love/laughter affair with Ellie throughout
the 4 weeks, I can assure everyone that their advice, drinks and chats throughout
my time here have been a constant support and comfort. It seems that Ellie is mad enough to be able
to spend more time than most in my company!
In particular, I thank those that I have dragged along to the Salsa Bar
on occasions when I ‘m sure they would have preferred to be in the Blue
Bar! A big thank you to Christophe and
Gemma who have looked after us and taken us on two superb day trips and been a
great resource whilst we have been here.
A thank you to Mark, our French teacher as well for his guidance in
learning the lingo!
Saint Raphael itself is utterly glorious. Just a
stone’s throw from the beach and the cocktail bar! I have enjoyed a weekly Yoga class, walking
along the coastal path in fine sunny weather, trips to Cannes and other smaller
resorts, going to an art exhibition at the school and round to one of the teacher’s
houses for an apero and a chat in French!
I have also attended the local Church and enjoyed the Sunday services
there and made contacts with a few of the ex-pats re living/working en France!
I will leave it there for now....but this is my plan dear
blog...to take this experience with me and to teach TEFL in France somewhere
rustic and picturesque and live happily
ever after! Bon Courage!!
Lucy McClay
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