2.10.07

teaching, again

it is not that i lack for teaching experience, cause i have loads of it. i taught high school english in moscow in 2000-2001. and i have taught in various schools and companies in moscow, paris and cambridge over the past 7 years.
today, though, was my first day teaching at a university, which turns out to be a bit different.
teaching english, what i did before, has its ups and downs. unless you are teaching high school students, the students are generally motivated and anxious to learn, especially when they are paying loads of money for the lessons. sometimes, they are just looking for a shrink to pour out all their problems to (this is especially true with one on one lessons). university is different. the class i teach is obligatory for all first years in the department, so the students have to be there if they want to or not, and since it is increasingly impossible to get a job anywhere without a degree, they have the idea that they have to be in university, or their parents who sent them there had that idea.
furthermore, the class is at 9am, which is asking the near impossible from a squad of 18 year olds (and from me as well!)
so despite all my experience i felt pretty nervous walking into the room today. i had to remind myself that they were probably more scared of me than i of them. but still, it was intimidating to have 30 sleepy faces staring at me for 2 hours. i hope i didnt bore them to death.

2 commentaires:

Anonyme a dit…

Hi,

Fabulous! Great new job - nice one!

And, for sure, you'll be great!

Congratulations!

Marcus

naneh a dit…

cheers marcus...although you know the university pays less than our job in cambridge did...they use us phds as slave labour cause they know we need the experience....i cant wait to finish this degree!