Friday 6 November 2009

TESOL Update - my first class!

Assalaamu Alaykum brothers and sisters,

I've been busy, busy, busy with my TESOL course so not really had time for updating my blog but here is the how my first lesson went...



Due to circumstances out of my control I ended up starting my lesson late, my timing in front of real life students stank (as opposed to doing your lesson in front of a mirror with no pressure) and ending up missing a big bit of the lesson.

I felt a totally messed up bag of nerves, having a loony sat behind me on the bus on the way there really didn't help and afterwards I just wanted to sink into the floor and disappear.

Alhamdulillah though it wasn't all bad, the other TESOL students said it came across as gentle and calm and got all the points across I needed to teach and the teacher said it was a borderline pass on the course.

I think one of the problems is in my group of TESOL students there are two teachers and a teaching assistant so I felt a little intimidated by the company and standard of the other's teaching.

Now I look back at it I know what I did wrong, teaching to my lesson plan and the clock and panicking when I couldn't finish it, rather than teaching to the students and their needs.

It shows me how far I have to go but that I can do this inshallah if I keep going I can not only pass but get a good grade and be on my way to making Hijrah.

Assalaamu Alaykum,
Abu Abdillah

2 comments:

The TEFL Tradesman said...

A word of advice, Abu - "teach the students, not the materials".

Good luck!

Abu Abdillah said...

yes, the same advice my tutor has given me, exactly the same advice.

have had my 2nd teaching practice and all praise be to God went much better.

had exactly the same problem, couldnt fit everything in and i wondered if the tutor had given me too much to do on purpose to see if i would fall into the same trap.

so as i realised i didnt have anywhere near enough time to finish I lengthened one topic slightly, and missed the last one off totally but as only me, the tutor and other TESOL students can see my lesson plan then no problem.