Week 1 is done - whew!!!!
We really hit the ground running - even met students on the first day and started assessed teaching on the second day. We have both taught two lessons already - Andy is with the intermediate students and Evan is with the beginners. We have passed both sessions! Yea!
There is also a ton of English language and teacher training work - the first two days were very very stressful but we are now getting into the groove a little more now and feeling a it more confident. The pace is intense and if you got behind it would be very difficult to catch up - assignments and detailed lesson planning each night - so we are getting home about 8:30 or so.
Actually our day is a little like this - up at 5:30; leave house at 6:40 to cross into Canada just as the Nexus line opens (those Nexus cards are great!) - arrive at school about 8:15 - one hour of prep time and homework/study before classes start (things like phonology; language analysis, vocab etc) - an hour lunch then lesson feedback and assignment, teaching begins at 3:15 - 5:30 - 45 min sessions - we teach for 45 min and then observe/critique other student teachers. Then feedback and a bit more teaching and we are usually done around 6:00 - another hour to hour and a half to gather prep materials for the next day and start lesson planing - leave Vancouver around 7:15-7:30. Dinner at home and then a bit more work - practice and support to each other....
However, we have actually started to enjoy ourselves!!! The English language learners are great and really excited to be learning with us - they come from many countries - including Chile, Czech Rep, Russia, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Egypt, Iran and Spain! And we are doing OK with it too. Feels good.
Friday night was the time to relax!!!! An episode of Project Runway (aahh Becky!) and a beer.
It does feel rather like a reality TV show - the Apprentice or something - everyone running around and trying not to get sent home!!!
Send us good vibes!
.....
"Surviving is important; thriving is elegant" (Maya Angelou)
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