17th Jan


To do list:
Win aganist a 7, 8 and 10 year old at 4 in a row
Buy some slippers


Checklist:
Eaten in a local restaurant


A small rabbit in a cage runs around in cirlces, as a stray kitten teases it with her paw and tail. People gather to watch the funny drama. Big silver pots outside shops steam away cooking lunch for todays customers and shop keepers put out their final stock of New Years decorations. Traffic rushes by, keeping you on your toes as scooters and bicycles wizz onto the pavement. Shouting echos out of estate agents and childrens cries from a mothers back.
My first walk to school, 15 minutes in another world. "Ni hao" [Hello] "Ni hao, ni hao" Smiles. Stares. It was interesting.


Lesson plan:
1. Warm up: 'What season is it?' 'What colour is this?' 'What animal do you like?' 'Are you a boy or a girl?' No challenging questions, it's either morning or they're still sussing you out.
Make 2 teams, for points throughout the lesson.
2. Review: Body parts/Clothes/Objects. Lots of actions for each one. All stood up, correct answer, 1 point and shoots someone from the other team, 'yourrrr out!' (mini game) Copy me, 'Teacher says touch your nose' continue until they're good, 'Teacher says touch your hair' but touch your nose.
3. Maybe a song (depending on age)
4. New words: Show flashcards. Repeat many a time. 'I say, you say' Lots of actions. Flashcards on the floor, 'Can you get me the Hippo?' High five, praise.
or clap when I say the wrong flashcard, hippo - flip - lion - flip - tree. CLAP 'What is it?' 1 point if correctly answered 'It is a Panda'
5. Song or read book (depending on age)
6. Review new words quickly one again.
7. 15 minutes for big game. Follow grammer, 'Do you like ice-cream?' 'What colour is a deer?' Correct 2 people compete on whatever game, extra points.
8. Stamp books if 2nd lesson, if not 'The winner isssss..! Breaktime'


My first lesson was with the older class, an average age of 10, an extremly clever 10 at that! We read a letter from Soomins pen friend Jill, answered questions, played some games and my 50 minutes was up.
Downstairs I then took a class of around 7 years old. We were learning new words, Deer, Hippo, Wolf and reviewing other animals.
"Roooaaarrrr" Screams and laughter. "This is a Lion" It's not the 'a' as we say it but it must be pronouced 'uh' so, this is uh Lion!
Lunch was served. Lunch being many different containers with vegetables, meat, cheese (tofu?) and rice. Good stuff.
Children were scattered on the floor with the game 4 in row, just putting in all the counters, looking at the colourfu lines, 'oohh' and tip it all out again. I decided to play with a 7 year old and explain to him, you must make 4 green. After 2 games, he had the knack of it. 'Tick tick tick' you could hear his brain ticking over, where to go next? He beat me! His friend, an 8 year old also beat me and I didn't let them at all, embarrasing. I then played Jennifer, 10 years old. Just amazing. Even before she'd put the counter in she was planning her next move, gigglying to herself, she also beat me around 5, 6 times! 'Why you go there?' 'Erm I'm not sure why' In goes her green counter, 'I win!'


Beth (from Bath, has been here for 9 months and is usually teaching in new town, occasionally coming over to the school I'm at) We headed into town at 8pm after finishing work for some Chinese dinner. Although there were pictures on the menu, it was such a confusion between us and the waitor. It was hilarious, not the waitor but how silly Beth and me must have looked with all our hand gestures and weird speech. We ended up with cauliflower and a meat similar to bacon, covered in chillis, sweetcorn and carrot lightly fried with mayonaisse and 100's & 1000's on top and slimy courgettes. Loved the cauliflower, even with the numb lips and the sweetcorn things strangley worked too.


18th Jan


Checklist:
Slippers for the cold floor
Hair dryer and Kettle


Started school at 11 and thought I would be leaving after lunch, but Diana, the other teacher of a month, didn't turn up again, so I ended up covering the 3 night classes, leaving at 8pm. Felix has asked her to leave this weekend, as that was his final straw when she rang up ½ an hour before saying she was sick. Fair enough if you are unwell, but 6 times already and saying on a Wednesday, 'I'm sick, I won't be able to make Saturday' Sounds like someone has plans to me!
Anyway, Beth said that trainees usually have a week of observation, I had one day. Felix said he was confident in me, as I had learnt fast. I was really nervous yesterday with my first lessons, planning and working to his lesson style but after my first 2 classes today, I knew in myself I had changed and came out with a huge smile. I'm finding my feet and I know I'll grow as each lesson goes on. I didn't have time to lesson plan for the evening, with only a 10 minute break between each 50 minute lesson but somehow I pulled it off without a stutter. Yes!
The evening classes were all kindergarten and to hear all the laughter made me feel great. Freda said the parents outside (they stand outside and peer through the blinds) were all giving me praise and laughing too. Such simple things, 'Okay after Three you run. Oneeee, Twoooo, Twooo, ah no back to the start, Oneee, Twooo, Shoe!' Or 'Point to your nose' I point to my bum 'Nooo teacher, noooo' Laughter everywhere. It's hard work, keeping up a postive, fun atmosphere for each lesson but the internal pride today sorred sky high. I just hope I have my voice by the end of the week!


He places the rollers in his hair, as the client drags on his cigarette. Hair scattered all over the floor, looks like they just clean up at the end of the day. My first walk back in the dark, doesn't seem as long as the morning.
I found a hairdressers, post office, ATM, supermarket, interent cafe and restuarants along my road, everything I could need. Sorted.


Made an awful dinner. Cooked the thin noodles for just 2 minutes but some sachet flavour thing spoiled it. Eurgh. I didn't know how much water to put or even what do, wasn't tasty, luckily I could make a good cup of mint tea (with my new kettle, yay) to wash it down.


Emma :) x x x