Job Discussion Forums

[nickpellatt]

Now it may have been years and years and hundreds (if not thousands) of lessons ago, or for some of you, maybe just recently....but maybe you would like to share that first class with us?

I for one would find it interesting to hear where some of you started out, how you felt and found the experience, and how you think your teaching and your approach has changed since you have been TEFLing??

[coffeedrinker]

I started my very first class with a "getting to know your teacher" activity that a colleague suggested, where students got to ask whatever they wanted and got points for grammatically correct and interesting questions.

Well, it was interesting, and this was one of the coolest groups I taught...but I wouldn't do it again. I do share info about myself, but I wouldn't really invite whatever questions they can think of. In this case, I got such things as "Have you been to a taping of the Oprah show?", "Do you believe in love at first sight?" and "Do you believe in God?" It all actually went down okay and we laughed...but still, not again

On a different note, I've gained a lot more confidence in the classroom. I still try to be student centered of course, but I know what the goals (well, the goals we agreed upon or have built into the class) are and make it clear what we need to do to acheive them.

Also, I know more games

[Jizzo T. Clown]

I spoke too quickly and couldn't stop sweating. The students wanted to eat me alive. I spoke too often and didn't give them enough time to finish each task. I ran out of things to teach before the lesson was half over. I was astounded that no one complained afterwards...

But I was determined to do better the next time.

[denise]

My first class was a substitution for a colleague of mine in Prague. It was a business class, and the student/client was Warner Brothers. I have nooooo idea what we actually did in class. I just remember sitting across a desk from a couple of guys and looking at all of the movie posters.

I started that job (and have started two other jobs since then...) mid-term, AFTER all of the ice-breaker/getting-to-know-you/establishing rules lessons had already happened. It's a bit awkward, but in a way it's easy because everyone knows you're the resident newbie and helps you out with everything. At least, that has been my experience, with the wonderful colleagues that I always end up with.

d

[Guy Courchesne]

One of my very first classes was a business English classes, one-on-one, in the office of an accountant at a dental supply company. Mostly a conversation class...however, it was so deadly hot in this office, and I hadn't slept the night before. As the accountant was droning on in what I've come to view as an inherent quality of monotone speech in accountants, I fell asleep. Both the accountant and I were thoroughly embarrassed...and that was the last class I ever had with him.

[keepwalking]

My first lesson was in a college in the UK, teaching new arrivals in the UK - asylum seekers, people on work visas, overseas students preparing for UK university etc.

About half way through the class we got an unexpected visitor when a builder fell through the window from the scaffolding outside (we were on the 3rd floor). He proceeded to pick himself up, go back through the now broken window and start drilling the wall right outside. And in the same lesson the electricity got cut off right whenI was due to start a listenig activity! It could only get easier after that...