missteacher

I had no idea about how to teach English at the beginning. During the training, we were said “you have to make them talk, interactivity is the key, you have to create communication needs...” and blah blah blah. Well, this is not blah blah blah actually.
I thought “very good, let’s try”. And found myself struggling with those principles.
I don’t know about you but I’ve learned English and German as I’ve learned mathematics: stupidly. I went through those classes when two pupils utter (painfully) three words in an hour, while the rest was spending time filling in blanks in exercises:

“Fill in by using where, when, who, which...”

As I was a pupil, that seemed fair enough to me. I progressed, I learned, I had the feeling I could speak. Then I chose English and I pursued it. I kind of forgot my German, dropped it at University since I couldn’t understand a word of the class (sure, how can you understand a German class when all your previous teachers spent their time speaking French?).
Then, four years later, I suddenly NEEDED my German. So badly. And I couldn’t say a correct simple sentence, although having successfully reached the grade of 15 (B+) at the baccalaureate. What was happening? Why couldn’t I say “pass me the salt, thank you the dinner was great” ???

Then I understood my mission better. Then I understood what lies behind this “communication” principle they’re trying to teach us during the training.
I tried to struggle so much against my own language training; to give a meaning to my teaching so that my pupils will be able to say “pass me the salt, oh the dinner was great”...
It’s hard to change your habits; It’s hard to implement something you’ve never seen or experienced yourself.
That was one of big wonderings this year as a beginner.

I partly failed, clearly enough. But I had the great chance to observe this teacher in secondary school who is doing such a great job, proving to me that it is actually possible, that we can learn English differently that I did. She gave me a lot of hope.

Her methods could be talked about later in that blog. I intent to talk more “technically” about teaching, not to annoy you, not to boast myself, just because it’s part of the job. Among other things.