Teaching is one of those things that when someone describes or models the techniques involved, it sounds and looks simple enough. When one actually gets up there to do it - it's harder than it looks to remember not only content but teaching techniques, especially when I'm with a class of students who have a different mother tongue.
As TEFL instructors, we are urged to get all of our instructions down to the smallest blocks of language possible. Stand up. Discuss. Sit down. Otherwise it sounds like so much blather to the students. It's hard for them to find the instructions in the verbiage.
We taught twice in our first week and observed an experienced teacher's class as well. The Czech people taking the courses are wonderful because they encourage us as much as we encourage them.
I can tell working as a TEFL teacher is a great way to know a culture fast because everything is a potential topic. In a discussion about Czech food, the Czech students told me I need to try this really, really smelly cheese from the town of Olmouc and two kinds of dumplings known as "dumplings with hair" and "naked children." The "dumplings with hair" are laced with sauerkraut. And the other dumpling - I have no idea!
We ended our week with our first Czech lesson. The hour flew by. It was so much fun! Our teacher, who is also one of our regular instructors, put so much energy into it and I understood what she was teaching throughout the hour. TEFL lessons that we teach are supposed to involve no mother tongue whatsoever. Watching her teach us helped me understand how it feels from the beginner's seat.
Thinking back to great learning experiences I have had, I decided my goal as a TEFL teacher will be to give students the feeling I have received from ski instructors. I remember it this way: starting at zero and standing up. Each day I get a bit better. My spirit soars with that wonderful feeling of "I can do this!" and each passing day brings "I can do more!"
Done well, teaching is fostering within people increased confidence and joy as they master a skill.
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http://praha2008.wordpress.com/ - try this; some typical Czech meals briefly described in English. I have no idea what "naked children" are. :D
I like the metaphor of the ski instructor. You start from nothing and make improvements every day (at least in the beginning).
Often it was so fun if you made a spectacular mistake and crashed you would roll around on the ground laughing so hard that you couldn't get up. :) Although I guess it might be difficult to make mistakes as enjoyable in language teaching as it is in skiing.
Michael, Oh I've heard some already which probably shouldn't be repeated on this blog! But the difference in intent and outcome of what a student said was hilarious.
Jana, thanks for the link! I'll go see it.
Jana, I asked the student again this morning about this dumpling and he said the nickname is probably only said in Southern Bohemia. Czechs also know it as brambory shisky (I haven't figured out how to do diacritics on the computer yet). It has poppy seed and sugar on top.
That example of the ski instructor was great! Thanks for sharing that...it helps me to think that I might be improving bit by bit...and that there's hope for me learning Czech!
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