I can’t believe I actually got
through it. I spent the entire weekend last week freaking out about the one
hour lessons. I was so very used to the teacher I’d had observing me in the previous week,
that the concept of changing teachers – and changing classes – frightened me
quite a lot. But I wasn’t due to teach my one hour lessons until the end of the
week so I had time, which I was very grateful for.
A few new things happened to me
this week. I actually managed to pre-prepare a lesson a day in advance. So,
that’s either, a significant improvement – or a divine fluke. I had never
experienced actually being ready for a lesson twenty-four hours in advance and
it felt quite good.
At the same time, however, I had
a major freak-out the day before that lesson when a colleague of mine told me
how badly she’d been treated by one of the other teachers and how he had virtually
told her that her lesson was a fail even before she’d taught it. This rattled
me a great deal as I have this teacher observing me this coming week. I went
home bricking it, but fortunately, I had two people on standby to put me back
on track that night. The following day, one of them helped me go through my
lesson before I taught it and even though my lesson was highly ambitious, I got
through it and was awarded a merit. :D
At that stage, I felt very good.
I went home smiling to myself and then proceeded to work on my next lesson. I
penned about half of it that night and then penned the rest and its materials the day
before I was due to have my lesson. So perhaps, I am improving. It took me days
to plan my first thirty-minute lesson and even on the day, I wasn’t fully
prepared. Now, it seems that I might be able to plan a full hour in
three-to-four hours instead. The quality of the lesson, however, is debatable.
But while I seem to be getting to
grips with lesson planning and being more comfortable in front of the class,
this weekend is actually no joke. I’m used to having deadlines every day, but
this weekend, I have triple the workload and the only reason why I’m able to
write this blog entry is because I managed to pen my one-on-one lesson with my
student who I am due to meet up with in two hours.
As part of this course, we’re
assigned a foreign language student. We have to interview them, do a thorough
evaluation of their language needs, do a one hour lesson with them and evaluate
the progress of that lesson. I will have to write up that evaluation tonight in
addition to writing up an overall evaluation of all the professional lessons I’ve
watched, in addition to writing up an evaluation of progress from start to now, in addition to penning a lesson for Wednesday.
And that’s not even half of it….
This is just what I’ve set myself
for today. So I’m telling you, it really is crunch time. Carl says that there
are no more extensions this week. And even though I’ve never requested an
extension yet, I’m really starting to feel it – contemplating how I’m going to
get time to do everything asked of me by Thursday and still plan two lessons for next week.
But we’ve all been there. In university,
I’d have friends dancing around me, panicking a few hours before an essay
deadline because they hadn’t done any work. They all thought I had some
manner of super-intelligence because I would often submit my essays or projects
a week or so in advance. But I know that it wasn't genius at all. I just wanted
it done! I didn’t want to look at it anymore and it’s the same way I
feel now. I just want it done. And I know that by putting words onto paper
with no real thought is a big risk – I do care that I pass after all - but I just don’t want to look at the work anymore.
With a course like this, however,
I don’t think you can afford to take your time over things. And I’m not saying
that you should slack off, I’m saying you literally
just don’t have the time. Because really and truly, there just aren’t enough
hours in the day to slave over one piece of work when you got five more
breaking down your bedroom door. It’s like an office mentality – get it done,
be concise and do it quickly.
So my advice for anyone looking
to do this course is, if you’re a procrastinator, you will struggle. Your teachers might be nice enough to give you
extensions when they can, but it’s much better if you get yourself into gear or
forget about doing the course in its entirety. I know of at least four people
in the original line-up who couldn’t hack it. Two dropped off the course
completely, one transferred to part time and incurred a fee and the other was unfortunate to fall ill and will
be joining the next group.
I didn’t have much of a life
before this course and during, I’ve spent a great deal of time in my living
room with my laptop and classroom notes. It’s hard work, it’s brain and
time-consuming, it’s sleep-draining, but in seven days I’m hoping to be two
certificates heavier.
Wish me luck.
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