…That no one warned me about.
Earlier this year, I signed up to move to Spain and begin working as a Language Assistant, anticipating a year of sharing my knowledge of the English language and culture with the students. What no one warned me about, however, was just how often there would be a dramatic role reversal where those same students would become my greatest teachers.
Even at these early stages of my year as a Language Assistant, I have encountered numerous occasions where I have been left with a very distinct feeling of having been ‘schooled’…with this coming blog containing a summary of the three greatest lessons I have learnt so far.
Lesson Plans are Lesson Dreams
Coming straight out of finishing a bachelor’s degree where organisation and planning were key assets, my approach to teaching was entirely centred on the mindset that if I attended a lesson equipped with a well-constructed plan, then nothing could go wrong…and boy, was I wrong.
What became very quickly apparent was that preparation only gets you so far. Sure, there are some classes blessed with a collection of students who are respectful, attentive and benefit from having a structured lesson (and admittedly these are the ones who make all teachers breathe a sigh of relief upon seeing them appear on the timetable). But truth be told, this version of reality is oftentimes an anomaly rather than the norm, and it seems to be far more common to encounter a class that completely shatters the illusion that a perfectly constructed plan of action is all one needs. Whether due to a class containing a particularly exuberant combination of personalities (respectfully), or due to a group having a vastly different level of English than what was anticipated, the greatest asset for a teacher to have seems to be the ability to read a situation and adapt on the spot. This is by no means suggesting that it would be futile to create any form of lesson plan, quite the opposite, actually, as I fear those especially boisterous students have a talent for sensing unpreparedness and using this as an excuse to run riot. Instead, I would argue that the formula for a perfect lesson involves designing some form of outline, expecting it to go wrong, and then being either pleasantly surprised or mentally prepared to throw caution to the wind and adapt on the spot (all the while remaining cool, calm and composed to never let the students see you sweat. Simple, right?)
Sarcasm aside, one of the key things I have learned from these first few weeks teaching is that you really do not know what a child is going through on any given day and that this can impact their behaviour, as well as the dynamic of the whole class. What is important is being able to read the situation and understand whether what you are dealing with is a one-off misdemeanour or an ongoing concern that needs to be addressed. Ultimately, what I am learning is that the principal asset I can have as a Language Assistant is my ability to understand when to enforce expectations or reprimand actions, and when to ease off and remember…everyone needs a safe space for a bad day.
Kids Remember Everything
Slipped up and made a mistake in English as the supposed ‘expert’? Made an off-handed promise to do a Kahoot next class? Answered a student’s question about your personal life you later regretted?
While it may be a completely normal experience to make mistakes or say something you don’t mean at work, one thing you can be certain about as a teacher is that your students will remember. Trust me, if I had a nickel for every time I have heard the words ‘but Miss you said…’ since starting this placement, I would be willing to bet I could’ve doubled my stipend (and made a bonus). The reality, I’m afraid, is that forgetting an accidental slip of the tongue is simply not a luxury teachers can afford. So, if you promise to play a game in their next lesson as a way of getting a group to listen in the moment, you’d better be prepared to come to class with an exciting round of ‘Bamboozled’ ready to go. Similarly, if you get asked a personal question by a group of thirteen year olds (as you definitely will), you really need to think carefully about whether this is something you want to answer as they will follow-you up on your answer on a weekly basis (e.g. ‘do you have a boyfriend’, ‘how is your boyfriend’, ‘are you still with your boyfriend’, ‘why did you break up with your boyfriend’…you get the point).
My advice: keep answers to personal questions vague, only make promises you are willing and able to keep and remember there is wisdom in the age-old adage to ‘think before you speak’.
Always Expect the Unexpected
The final pearl of wisdom I’ve picked up in my first few weeks of teaching goes as follows… There is nothing that will ever truly prepare you for some of the things students will say. Whether it’s a student asking those extremely personal questions, one casually oversharing something quite personal, or one blurting out the most outlandish declaration imaginable, you can rest assured you’ll face moments that spark an internal panic of, ‘How on earth do I handle this one?’ Indeed, I’d argue it’s pretty accurate to say that most social meet-ups between Language Assistants begin with the obligatory discussion of ‘you’ll never guess what I had a student say this week!’
So far, the key with this seems to be navigating how quickly to shut down a discussion if it risks derailing the class or breaching the boundaries of teacher–student discussions, but also being able to read when a student clearly needs an outlet and maybe some further attention. If a student embarks on an overly detailed discussion about his older brother’s many girlfriends, maybe offer a gentle reminder that this is probably not a necessary classroom discussion. However, if a student begins sharing something highly personal that seems concerning, similarly defuse the conversation in class but make sure to follow up after (and confide in a more senior teacher). Once again, I am speaking from my limited experience since the start of October, and so I am sure there are far more seasoned teachers who hold the secrets for handling these situations. The point of raising it here is simply to say to anyone who has had those internal alarm bells raised to take comfort in the fact that we are at least getting ample opportunity to practice the art of improv and refine our skills in diversion, redirection and filtering – we’d be well prepared for future careers in Public Relations, that’s for sure!
Author: Grace B.