*headdesk*
Nov. 11th, 2009 11:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
saffiterSo, hell week was this week. It's nearly over. Students have all done their tests and they did really, really well! Out of my 13 students, only two aren't going to be moving up to the next level. The majority of them got high 70's/low 80's for their results (tests are out of 100). I'm so proud of them! They've really worked their butts off this 5 week block!
Of course the DoS, when he saw those results, could only whimper and start muttering about how he had no idea how he was going to fit them into the current classes. I very nearly told him to step back for a second and just look at those results. He should be happy for them! Those students worked their butts off to get the marks that they did! Even the two that aren't going up got 53 and 64 respectively. That's still nothing to be sneezed at!
Actually, I was waiting for him to tell me that I had to 'tweak' those results so that a few more stayed down in lower-int for another 5 weeks. I'm glad he didn't. I hate doing it.
I was also quite proud of myself. We had to have all the tests (reading, writing, listening, grammar and vocabulary. Speaking gets marked during class) marked by 4pm Tuesday. We're not allowed to take them home, and we have to mark them between planning lessons, preparing for lessons, and teaching. I had mine (all 52 of 'em) marked by 4pm that same day.
Lord knows how I managed that, but I did.
Today was student counselling. That's where I take each student outside, one by one, for about 5-10 minutes and talk about their test results, how they're doing, things they can do to improve, that sort of thing. I gave them a worksheet to do while I was doing the counselling, but I guess they finished it. When I got into the classroom I found Franky and Pierre at the front of the class orchestrating a game of hanggman.
They were using words like infidelity and enigmatically...
...
...
...these guys are lower-int! I shudder to think what sort of words they're going to be using when they hit advanced! I'll need a dictionary just to understand anything they write!
One of my afternoon class students came bounding up to me this afternoon proudly telling me "I picked Skills Builder as my first choice because I want you as my teacher again!" He looked mildy horrified when I told him that I was pretty sure that Monday was my last day.
...
...Although I could be wrong. This makes it the 6th "(Insert Day) will be your last day, Sheena" notice that I've got. They keep extending my contract.
Rinor didn't seem to be worried. He basically told me, with the utmost certainty, that I would still have a job next week and that I'll be their teacher. O.o (I guess the little 16yr old brat likes me).
*shrugs* I guess I'm doing something right.
Oh, and I found something for those of you who've often wondered what the inside of an ESL classroom is like. You've heard my crazy stories...which reminds me. They were having a debate the other day and Pierre really disagreed with what the rest of the class was saying *snickers*
Pierre: What are you thinking?! You are all stupid!!
He then proceeds to list, catagorically, why they are wrong.
Me?
I was curled up in a corner trying not to laugh, with tears running down my face. When I got these guys they didn't understand simple jokes. Now, they tease each other and will sit there and debate things until they're blue in the face.
Anyway, this thing that I found. Our Senior teacher found this old British series called Mind Your Language. It's about an ESL teacher and his class of emigrants in Britain. It's a bit stereotypical (but then, considering the year it was filmed, understandable), but whoever wrote it had to have been involved with the ESL industry, most likely a teacher. There's no way they weren't, there's just too many parallels with what goes on in the classroom for them not to be.
I'm pretty sure I've had most of those things happen in the classroom...except maybe the holy war or a race riot... I did have a couple of 7 year olds try to kill each other once, though.
Anyway, it's getting late here so I think it's time I crawled into bed. Night all!
Of course the DoS, when he saw those results, could only whimper and start muttering about how he had no idea how he was going to fit them into the current classes. I very nearly told him to step back for a second and just look at those results. He should be happy for them! Those students worked their butts off to get the marks that they did! Even the two that aren't going up got 53 and 64 respectively. That's still nothing to be sneezed at!
Actually, I was waiting for him to tell me that I had to 'tweak' those results so that a few more stayed down in lower-int for another 5 weeks. I'm glad he didn't. I hate doing it.
I was also quite proud of myself. We had to have all the tests (reading, writing, listening, grammar and vocabulary. Speaking gets marked during class) marked by 4pm Tuesday. We're not allowed to take them home, and we have to mark them between planning lessons, preparing for lessons, and teaching. I had mine (all 52 of 'em) marked by 4pm that same day.
Lord knows how I managed that, but I did.
Today was student counselling. That's where I take each student outside, one by one, for about 5-10 minutes and talk about their test results, how they're doing, things they can do to improve, that sort of thing. I gave them a worksheet to do while I was doing the counselling, but I guess they finished it. When I got into the classroom I found Franky and Pierre at the front of the class orchestrating a game of hanggman.
They were using words like infidelity and enigmatically...
...
...
...these guys are lower-int! I shudder to think what sort of words they're going to be using when they hit advanced! I'll need a dictionary just to understand anything they write!
One of my afternoon class students came bounding up to me this afternoon proudly telling me "I picked Skills Builder as my first choice because I want you as my teacher again!" He looked mildy horrified when I told him that I was pretty sure that Monday was my last day.
...
...Although I could be wrong. This makes it the 6th "(Insert Day) will be your last day, Sheena" notice that I've got. They keep extending my contract.
Rinor didn't seem to be worried. He basically told me, with the utmost certainty, that I would still have a job next week and that I'll be their teacher. O.o (I guess the little 16yr old brat likes me).
*shrugs* I guess I'm doing something right.
Oh, and I found something for those of you who've often wondered what the inside of an ESL classroom is like. You've heard my crazy stories...which reminds me. They were having a debate the other day and Pierre really disagreed with what the rest of the class was saying *snickers*
Pierre: What are you thinking?! You are all stupid!!
He then proceeds to list, catagorically, why they are wrong.
Me?
I was curled up in a corner trying not to laugh, with tears running down my face. When I got these guys they didn't understand simple jokes. Now, they tease each other and will sit there and debate things until they're blue in the face.
Anyway, this thing that I found. Our Senior teacher found this old British series called Mind Your Language. It's about an ESL teacher and his class of emigrants in Britain. It's a bit stereotypical (but then, considering the year it was filmed, understandable), but whoever wrote it had to have been involved with the ESL industry, most likely a teacher. There's no way they weren't, there's just too many parallels with what goes on in the classroom for them not to be.
I'm pretty sure I've had most of those things happen in the classroom...except maybe the holy war or a race riot... I did have a couple of 7 year olds try to kill each other once, though.
Anyway, it's getting late here so I think it's time I crawled into bed. Night all!
