Job Discussion Forums

ImanH · Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 214 Location: Istanbul

I start my new teaching term this week, and last night I had a classic anxiety dream about it � you know the sort; can�t find the classroom, lose my bag containing notes, handouts, etc. � and it made me conscious that I am more anxious than I was aware. I�m curious as to how many others suffer from teaching nerves and, for those who have been teaching for a while, whether this passes/eases with time.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

Not only does it ease with time. It normally starts to do so rapidly once actual practice of teaching classes begins. Residual anxiety may often re-emerge in situations of stress such as a new class, a new term, a new job, or after a period of non-teaching.

With time this becomes as normal and expected a re-action to the new and unkown as excitement and elation. Just one of nature's waysof keeping us alert and on our toes in new and unfamiliar situation. Once we realise that their are no sabre-toothed tigers hiding behind them thar trees we stop over-producing adrenalin, our heartbeat returns to nornal levels and th ecold sweats become just a distant memory.

Smile more, enjoy your class, don't expect perfection and remember to breathe.

Baba Alex · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 2411

A good breakfast is very important too, I find vodka is a lot of help, though Gin Rakı or Whisky are all good.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Just remember when you start a new class, the students will be more nervous than you.

whynotme · Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Posts: 728 Location: istanbul

i love starting new classes 2 hours later i am going to start a new class, i have my books and materials + copied the first unit in case they havent bought the book. I checked thier files ,learnt where they live ,what they do, hobbies,pethates. i will behave like a fortune teller in the class and try to guess where they are from and their jobs,hobbies. Smile

yaramaz · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:59 am Post subject:

The night before ı started teaching this year (which would be monday) I dreamed that I taught the 4 back to back lessons as laid out in my schedule. I taught them in great detail and was quite knackered by the end of the day, ready for a kind sofa and beer and a friendly thrashing from my cat... then I woke up and it was 8am and I had that full day still ahead of me. Shocked

I hate my unconscious.

Btw, the real students were actually better behaved than my dream ones.