CELTA week 3

OK - so we're a) still alive, and b) still on the course. It has been hectic again with all sorts of things to do. We switched classes this week so both of us had new learners to work with .... Several of our fellow student teachers are struggling and it is sad to see but with only limited time and resources it is a bit of every man for himself. We are definitely growing quickly in our skills and confidence as teachers, but just as we start to get a handle on one thing, there's three more to deal with. The assessors are tough - if anyone complains they simply remind us that we chose an intensive class and so get on with it. Teacher boot camp.
A little extra (well a lot) stress happened when some how or other Andy forgot to clear his photocopier code, and so someone used all his copies .... without any copies left (and they won't let you buy more!???!!!) he had to rely on using Evan's copies very carefully so Evan didn't run out. It may be resolved now but it certainly added another level of stress to not be able to make any handouts or overheads for his classes!!!! It is just like a reality TV show!
One of the highlights was a fellow student making a grammar mistake in a lesson while teaching a class to beginner students on 'yet' and 'just' and the like. This mistake ended up with the sentence "They have not done it in Central Park yet" being written on the board and being spoken aloud for practice by several middle-aged Japanese and Taiwanese ladies. Cue Andy and his fellow students all sitting at the back next to the assessor trying not to curl up!! Sweating bullets!! One teacher cracked and was immediately sent outside and given a talking too!!! Oh, but it was funny!!!!!

One more week and we're done! Huge assignment this weekend - spent most of today on it and will spend most of tomorrow - but if we can hang in one more week we'll be certified teachers of English as a second language..... and then ......

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"Follow your bliss" Joseph Campbell