Progress Report

Oh my gosh. I can't believe it's been a week since I've blogged. The past week has just zoomed by. I'm half way through the CELTA course already. It's been a lot of work so far but very interesting and I'm learning oodles.

We have about three and a half hours of what's called Input each morning. In other words we are students. We are being taught how to teach. We learn about the different types of learners, the most effective ways to teach writing, speaking, reading and listening skills to English language learners and a whole host of other teaching techniques that we will need to make us competent teachers. In the afternoon we teach. Our students know that we are trainees and realize that our instruction won't be perfect but at the same time they are language students and we are expected to actually be productive in our role as teachers when we are at the front of the room. We each teach twice a week and we observe each other teaching on the days when we are not "on". Between lunch and the actual teaching sessions we spend time with one of the program tutors reviewing the lessons that were taught the previous day and preparing for the next day's lessons. On top of all of this we have several hours of work each evening that includes creating our lesson plans and working on written assignments required for successful completion of the CELTA course.

At the half way point I'd saying I'm doing nicely. I feel good about what I'm expected to be able to do after 2 weeks in the program. I actually got an Above the Standard grade for the grammar lesson I taught to a class of advanced learners on Wednesday. A grade of Above the Standard is a pretty big deal in our little microcosm of a world. And on a grammar lesson, to boot! The monster in the closet for all of us.

On that note, I need to get back to work.