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Published On: Oct 30, 2006 02:28 PM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Oct 30, 2006 02:28 PM
Something I've Learnt
Something I've learnt whilst teaching is
that students are really just people. This might sound strange, of course they
are. But when I started teaching, I was petrified, and the students were the
source of my fear. So my way of handling it was to make sure I learnt all the
grammar rules and followed the structure of the course perfectly. Relationships?
What relationships! I felt that I had the structure of the course under control
- they're learning! (Well, I'm teaching!). But my students were pretty
underwhelmed, if I'm honest with
myself.
For a long time, I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. Activities? Check. Pronunciation? Check. Lots of practice? Check. Listening activities practically forever? Check.
Then I started to realise something. And it totally makes sense given the Hanoian (I won't say Vietnamese, I'll get in trouble), approach to life. It's ALL about relationships.
I only started to understand this after I had let down my boundaries a bit, felt a bit more comfortable, and really started seeing and trying to understand my students and what they wanted to achieve. I told them about myself, and they told me about themselves. We built a good relationship. And then I tried it with a new class, and another new class. And the students were delighted. Me too!
I've heard it said that students in VN want entertainment rather than education. I don't think it's really true. I DO think that they want to feel motivated to learn, and they feel motivated by relationships - particularly the relationship they have with their teacher. Students now often tell me how "funny" I am, but I think they really mean that I am honest and self-deprecating and let them see "me" and show my appreciation so much when they tell me about themselves and their lives. Some things they say are so funny, and I let myself crack up and delight in seeing their faces, rewarded by knowing they have entertained their teacher and fellow students.
I saw some of my students on Monday night after being off work for a week, and it was a cacophony of screams and welcomes. When I'm with them, I feel like I'm chatting with my girlfriends, and we often comment about how similar so many aspects of life are between us. Among the topics of conversations: the grapevine (selling the watermelon, as my students say), backstabbing, school politics (student-side), boyfriends and husbands, work stuff, what's happening on TV shows we like, weight issues, perceptions of beauty... the list goes on.
I love finishing a course and feeling that I've really made friends with my students. I love running into old students in the hallways and both of us being delighted to see each other. I even love it when students feel so comfortable with me that they confide their problems. I've had students cry on my shoulder (literally). And I know the reason why is because they trust me to care for them. And I do.
For a long time, I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. Activities? Check. Pronunciation? Check. Lots of practice? Check. Listening activities practically forever? Check.
Then I started to realise something. And it totally makes sense given the Hanoian (I won't say Vietnamese, I'll get in trouble), approach to life. It's ALL about relationships.
I only started to understand this after I had let down my boundaries a bit, felt a bit more comfortable, and really started seeing and trying to understand my students and what they wanted to achieve. I told them about myself, and they told me about themselves. We built a good relationship. And then I tried it with a new class, and another new class. And the students were delighted. Me too!
I've heard it said that students in VN want entertainment rather than education. I don't think it's really true. I DO think that they want to feel motivated to learn, and they feel motivated by relationships - particularly the relationship they have with their teacher. Students now often tell me how "funny" I am, but I think they really mean that I am honest and self-deprecating and let them see "me" and show my appreciation so much when they tell me about themselves and their lives. Some things they say are so funny, and I let myself crack up and delight in seeing their faces, rewarded by knowing they have entertained their teacher and fellow students.
I saw some of my students on Monday night after being off work for a week, and it was a cacophony of screams and welcomes. When I'm with them, I feel like I'm chatting with my girlfriends, and we often comment about how similar so many aspects of life are between us. Among the topics of conversations: the grapevine (selling the watermelon, as my students say), backstabbing, school politics (student-side), boyfriends and husbands, work stuff, what's happening on TV shows we like, weight issues, perceptions of beauty... the list goes on.
I love finishing a course and feeling that I've really made friends with my students. I love running into old students in the hallways and both of us being delighted to see each other. I even love it when students feel so comfortable with me that they confide their problems. I've had students cry on my shoulder (literally). And I know the reason why is because they trust me to care for them. And I do.
Posted: Fri - May 26, 2006 at 03:39 PM