In heaven...

...because I just taught a group of angels.



I'll backtrack. Yesterday, the group of boys I taught were level 3, meaning intermediate speakers. Today I taught another group of level 3 boys (15 years old), and they were perfect. Everyone voiced questions and answers and spoke and didn't leave me hanging. The class was as smooth as glass. The activities flowed and everyone participated and I don't think a class will ever compare. They were all smiling and helpful and they listened and kept quiet when they were supposed to. It's classes like that that will keep me going as a teacher. My bristol board map fell off the blackboard at one point and one of the boys put it back up for me! They all sat as close to the front as they could get. Their Polish teacher told me that at the end they asked if I was coming back so she told them to invite me, but she said they were too shy. Precious. (One group even added a romantic twist of boy meets girl in the story they had to write!) Even though my students yesterday were not NEARLY as well-behaved - talking out (in Polish) a lot of the time and not speaking and laughing and goofing off, a lot of them spoke to me at the school today when they saw me. Yey! How is this even a job???? I love my life. (I say that now. I'm sure I'll have bad days...well, maybe. It's all relative, right?)

My first class today was my biggest challenge. Not behaviour-related, but because they were level 1, so more beginner English. 13 year old students, mixed class (mostly boys), they were a lot more shy and quiet. A little more pulling teeth was needed to get them to speak. I was prepared for that though, and had revised my same lesson accordingly, based on proficiency-level. And these things you kind of have to feel out once you're in the class anyways, because every group will be different. I can't get over how much I feel in my element doing this. I have yet to REALLY feel nervous about teaching a group, rather I thrive on it. Even today, with one of the directors sitting in on my class. Tomorrow we have feedback sessions with the directors, so that will be good.

Great day! It's sunny and warm, I went running this morning, taught two classes, and home by 1:30! We're having a teacher potluck at Irene's this evening. I'm on dessert duty!

Oktoberfest: I'm going to Munich this weekend!!!!! The guy I met in Athens who is from Munich got the dates mixed up so I will not be staying at his place. However, I have floor space booked at the hostel "The Tent" which is where Catrina and I stayed last summer. It's also where we met Martin, and it's where he and I will be meeting this weekend! We both have it booked. Yey!!! What a reunion it will be. I still don't know about my schedule for Friday but there are a few overnight trains from Radom to Munich Friday evening, so it will all work out. I'll be meeting up with Jodi too!

Living my dream, that's for sure.