A picture of our LADO TEFL group on the last day of class.The last week of training went quickly. The last two teaching days on Monday and Tuesday went well overall. I felt much more comfortable preparing materials and working through the lesson in my mind. The class always turns out differently than what you imagine in your head, but I think that’s part of the fun of teaching. It amazes me that I can see a bit of fun in this at this point… hahaha. I say that in jest of course.
It was very difficult preparing for the final presentation while working on the last two group lessons. The fatigue and mental strain of the previous three weeks really got to me the final week. A couple of days during the last week my body just shut down. The commute was a REAL strain. I do think I had a good final lesson planned. I don’t think it went well in class obviously. I was really down about it after the class. That night I thought about it a lot and I think it was a good thing to go through. You never want things to go badly but I think it taught me a whole lot. It makes me realize how many things I’m going to have to learn as I countinue to teach. Getting a lesson plan established and refining your method of teaching is just the beginning! I think my final classroom experience was a bit difficult as well because of the situation. I felt that it wasn’t really MY class. I never really set out any rules, I wasn’t grading them, etc. I also didn’t want to bring the mood of the class into a negative space on my last day! So, it was a sacrafice on my part, but I was ok with it considering the circumstances. I knew the lesson would have went well if it weren’t for classroom management issues. On the other hand, I think this was a great experience because it brings my attention to these factors. It pushed my experience in a new direction, and showed me other possibilities.
As I shift back to my “regular” life of moving around like a nomad, things are getting very busy. Finishing the requirements of this program mixed with trip planning and job searching is a real challenge. I am much more excited about the prospect of travelling now. I feel so much more prepared to enter a teaching job abroad. Vance and Caralyn, you have both been wonderful teachers. Thanks for your guidance and prodding over the last month, I’m sure the bruises will disappear soon. 
