Experiences of a teacher of English

I’ve got to say something else about motivation. It seems okay we teachers seek motivation for our students. But one story of schools goes along by saying that once a teacher asked a boy, “Your mom, does she cook dinner for you every day or only when she feels like motivated?”  As well motivation arises from the interior of the person, most of the times, when that learner wishes to really learn. When he or she works hard and willing, from themselves, they likely will find motivation, like many of you teachers: you’re committed teachers and hence over time you feel like motivated or at least you work so hard.  Okay, anyway, let's keep on by trying our students should be motivated. We could only try to also remember that story. At the same time. Have a nice day. / Photo from: Alice Springs School of the Air Australia

I currently teach English at two schools. Plus some private tuition. And my students are adults. And I make worksheets for them.  Nevertheless I notice my dear students do need more vocabulary, which one I cannot provide in the classes I teach them.  Thus I’m thinking for next school year to encourage them to get a reader, one of those simplified and abridged books. In one of the centers where I work they already use one, because they also attend classes with another teacher and they’re working on Great Expectations , by great Charles Dickens. I’m going to ask them in one of the classes I have with them how they get the reader, whether it’s at certain bookstore or where else.  I foresee, however,  that if I choose a reader with certain level, and since my students have different levels of English, some of them could find the reader as an easy one while others may encounter it so difficult. So I’d have to have a look at some readers with my students ...

The teacher is a person who faces up to different issues. And he or she does with great love. They may have – likely – problems with some students or some parents, and all that may make them suffer, but ultimately they positively – as I said – face up to those troubles with some positive spirit and morale.  As well they can notice that perhaps something weird may be happening in the classroom lately and their students may be suffering from some other trouble, and those teachers I’m talking about face up to that situation, with no procrastination.  And they, those teachers I mean, do not let time elapse any longer and try hard to solve the problems, better if they can count on their colleagues or the school department head.  Serenity is necessary for those teachers: they may be suffering from some trouble but they’ve learned how to deal with problems and they have fortitude and courage.  Their students seek support upon them as their fortitude when dire...

Why did you become a teacher? There may be several reasons. What is clear is that being a teacher is great. And being a teacher is kind of a service vocation.  The teacher has his schedule, of course, but in some way he’s open to serve people at any time, or nearly that. He has to be open to solve a student’s problem or trouble when addressed along a school hall, or before a class he can be addressed by a popping up student with an impending urgent question, which has to be answered according to that student’s hurry and haste.  Who has not been addressed by a bit of a tiresome student before a class? I do not mean tiresome because any student deserves our respect and attention.  Or otherwise some parent may require your presence about another student’s impending problem on the phone or even present at school.  Being a teacher is a service vocation. But remember that you, teacher, have to dedicate your time also to your family, and you have your p...

Lesson plans, syllabuses, course planning, official planning for the school principal, more rush planning for the headmaster… Okay, I concede all that is necessary. Okay it is, indeed. But as well I keep so small a piece of paper where I wrote the main lines I have to take into account to proceed into the school year plus what my dear students do need along the rest of that school year.  Also I’ve written something on it that I could consider for next school year.  I reckon that small piece of paper, with its 10 points, is of a paramount importance to offer my students and my school some nice work until we end the school year. As well it’s something useful, for I can have a peek at it and plan next lessons, taking into account what is significant for my students in order to learn and acquire English as a second language.  That little sheet of paper is like the quintessence of my teaching on coming days and weeks. Later on I could add some new point or c...

Teaching English or whatever language is simply great.  If you aren’t a native speaker yourself, you have to learn it. And that’s great too.  And your students will ask you about many words. And you’ll have to read a lot, both fiction and non-fiction. Thus you’ll be getting lots of words. And by learning that many a word you’ll be accomplishing a kind of lattice or grid you can use for teaching your dear students.  As well you’ll be able to acquire a language sense which is altogether useful for teaching your students. And also many words or quite some words will come to mind when writing in English, that marvelous language itself.  It’s something from my experience indeed: I love learning and teaching English. And even more, treating with people. If you're an enthused teacher you will likely pass on that enthusiasm to your students. Have a nice day. / Photo from: the language corner madrid

I have some students that achieve to understand me in English, our common target language. But others do not, what to do?  I would intend to speak at a level all of them can understand me. That level should be a bit higher than the one they already have. This is, at a bit more advanced level than the one they speak in.  For that reason I will utilize the marker-board or chalkboard more often than not, as an aid. As well I’ll use cognate words in both Spanish and English, when possible and when meanings are not misunderstood.  Also when naturalistic: the classes should be realistic.  Spanish, namely, is our common language. I’ve been saying the same message both in L1 and L2, sometimes, but, you know, I don’t quite like it: I guess Spanish should disappear in the classroom.  Nevertheless if the message is so important I’ll say it in both tongues, like for example important announcements they shouldn’t miss.  So English should be spok...

Who is the learner who succeeds? I’d say the one who really, really wants to learn.  So we can try our students would really wish to learn. However, they should be free. So we can tell them things that make them wish to freely learn.  In that way our students would reckon they do want to learn. That kind of learner – the one who actually wishes to learn – would not put all the burden upon the teacher’s back to carry it, but otherwise he will put the means to progress at his learning process, also on his own, without the teacher.  It’s what we call autonomous learners: they are practical and pragmatic, and invest a nice effort on learning.  And how can we achieve to get that kind of willing students? Well, you may know that a teacher with enthusiasm can accomplish to pass on that enthusiasm to his learners. Over time. It’s not something you get on a single day.  As well some teachers encourage their students to keep a diary of their learn...

Although our students may be using their iPads, we teachers should also teach them to write manually.  If their notebooks are neat, that will for sure help them greatly to study, work, and learn. When a kid or an adult writes nice, clear and neat, they have clear ideas in their minds. Or likely so. They, in a word, have mental hygiene. Or likely so.  Thus we could, with their permission or their parents’, or with both, have a look at their notebooks. Firstly we'll have told them we're going to pick their notebooks. We’ll learn a lot from that written work about our dear students.  If they utilize books also, we could teach them how to underline important terms or ideas – not too much underlining, because at first they hardly recognize what is important or they think all is important: their minds are maturing. But with some practice with the whole class we can efficiently teach them what the main points are.  And that in the classroom with the who...

We have to foster our students would learn the foreign or second language in a super-way. And that, inside an atmosphere of immersion in that language.  So we have to also give announcements for the daily logistics in that language. And perhaps and if necessary, we could also give them in the first language afterwards.  Nevertheless if we say those announcements in the L2 and they’re clear, let’s not repeat them in the L1...  And for that goal our dear students should acquire and learn massive vocabulary.  One way our students could get those words stuck in mind is by means of using and using and using those words. Unless they utilize those words, they cannot learn them or most of them.  For example they could write sentences with those words. Some days ago a student of one of my classes told me he really thought that writing sentences with that lexis is paramount to learn it.  Something else I do to learn and acquire words myse...