I met with the group B for the first time. It is a parallel group for 2nd-year tourism students. Almost everyone showed up, so we had about 2+ students, 4 of which were guys. Also my supervising teaching was observing me.
I led almost a replica of Business Letters 1 class that I did last week for group A, except that the basics of business letters had been covered already. I received information about what had already been done only 1-2 hours before the lesson, so I needed to plan to fill some 30 minutes with some exercises. It threw me be a bit, because the next lesson is a compact and complete unit around guiding, and I did not want to break that. However, as it turned out, we did not need any extra material as the planned activities filled the whole double lesson.
One one my key observations is that for a 90-minute class, you only need 3 to 4 exercises, tasks or items. There always seems to be more material than time. For example, checking the homework and attendance already takes about 15 minutes from the beginning of the lesson.
I found this group to be very active and I got a good contact with them. I introduced myself and told a bit about my background. The I asked the students to tell what is their favourite country and why. The students were open and chatted freely, when I commented on what they said.
I have observed that this teaching practice has changed me as a person. I feel quite open to share about my experiences. I am not apprehensive about the students any more, but it is much easier for me to go to talk to them now. I have grown more confident and I use my voice better. Previously I have not had much contact with teenagers or young adults, but I am starting to enjoy them more and more.
My supervisor commented after the class that it is great that I want to make a connection and build a relationship with my students. We had a lengthy discussion how important this is and we seemed to share this view. I have learned from my American teachers that teaching and learning it is all about a relationship, and that the most important lessons are those that you learn about life. As a teacher you can be a key person for a student's growth and the discovery of his/her talents and passions. That is why I aim to be open and transparent about my life, whenever appropriate.
Overall, this lesson went very well on my own opinion and also according to my supervisor. The only point for improvement is that when we check for homework, I need to be careful of not showing the answers before the word or sentence in question is said: I could either fill out a blank exercise sheet or reveal the correct answers in the end.
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