laurainlimbo: (Default)
posted by [personal profile] laurainlimbo at 09:50am on 14/07/2005

I'm getting a little tired of consistently having stomach problems - for the last week, I've had to watch what I eat,and I usually go to bed with heartburn or something else.  this used to be a problem for me many years ago when I was in college, probably due to stress, but I haven't really had so many stomach problems in recent years.  I think that this time, all of the stomach sensitivity has been brought on by this heavy teaching schedule at a new school - the environment, students, schedule and everything are all new to me, so I've been a bit tired and stressed.  I hate to admit it, but the classes that stress me out the most are the kids.  I've never taught kids younger than junior high school age before, but in the last couple of weeks, I've had to teach two or three groups of kids ranging from 6-12 years old!  The most difficult class by far has been the class on Wednesday nights - two 8 year-olds and an 11-year old.  Last week, the lesson was too difficult, and the kids spent the entire class just staring at me, too scared to even talk.  So I thought I would do some simple activities this week, and make it easier.  they did understand more, but the boy in the class, Ryo, is very naughty and restless, and spent the class squirming around in his chair, getting up from the table, shouting out, and repeating everything I said - of course that is not a bad thing in an English class, except that he would just repeat my questions, rather than answer them!   And the biggest problem is that when he starts misbehaving, especially if I try to get him to settle down, he inevitably distracts the other students, who then start chatting together in Japanese and ignoring the lesson.  I don't think there is much I can do about it - I can't really complain to Naoko (the school's owner) - but I am worried (hence the stomach problems!) that kids like to talk to their parents, and that they'll complain about me.  I think they probably liked the teacher before me, who was a young guy from England and probably didn't care if they goofed off.   I'm just far too accustomed to teaching adults.  

Speaking of adults, I really love my adult classes, especially the one that I had last night (after the kids from hell!).  Its a free conversation class in which we discuss a newspaper article, so its really just an intimate discussion time.  I have a similar class every other Saturday too. The girls I taught last night are great, so good at English and so interested in learning (they are probably in their early to mid 20s).  And they like me.  Kids just don't like me.  I think its like dogs - they can sense when you are not comfortable around them.  Don't get me wrong - I think kids are so cute, and I want to be a good teacher for them.  But its not natural for me.  Luckily I do have one kids class that is a joy - two 10 year olds who are so smart and respectful and attentive.  Its just a mixed bag, I guess, when you are a teacher.  If every class was easy, then the job wouldn't be a job.

I'm just praying that I can get a job teaching at a university so that I don't have to teach kids anymore.  Not only is it stressful, but its really not what I was trained to do.  I love teaching adults because they want to learn - kids are usually forced there by their parents, so they might not really care about English.

anyway, I've been counting up the hours that I have worked, and I'll be getting quite a bit of money at the beginning of August (my pay for July's work).  Then I'm filling in for vacationing teachers in August, so I'll get even more next month!  Maybe I can take some trips with this money.

I'll sign off today with something I found written on the package of a Tokyo Banana cake (which was delicious):

"People gather to Tokyo from here and there with memories of their home.  And then Tokyo gets the everyone's home town."

 

Mood:: 'worried' worried

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