Life, class, work, getting the overthinking out.
Second day back at work was pretty nice. The only flaw was the misprint in my schedule, so I had three classes instead of two. Oh well. ☺ They were all with the first years, and I like them a lot. So it’s no problem.
For those of you curious about my TEFL course, I guess I can talk about it. I personally wish I would have done this while I was still in Kuse, because it’s easier to apply different teaching styles and methods to Elementary school lessons then to Junior High lessons. I also think that my teaching could have benefitted from the training and experience. I wonder-why did I not do this sooner? Probably because I was lazy and unthinking. Also there comes the problem of “Is this really what I want to do with my life?” I’m not sure English teaching IS what I want to do, but I know that it’s a good way to pay the bills right now. This is an investment into my future.
Okay that has nothing to do with the course, and is going down a path I don’t really want to think about right now. SO! Moving along.
While the class has a really easy quizzing method (it is ridiculous to get anything LESS then 100% when you can retake a MULTIPLE CHOICE quiz twice and they show you your mistakes the first time you take it), the essays are actually thought provoking. Five hundred words isn’t a lot to get your point across and back it up with the readings, which is probably why I am getting Bs all over. And commenting on your peers work can become tedious, but it is necessary. You can learn a lot, and it’s always fun trying to get into discussions. Sometimes it’s hard though, people don’t always respond to your comments-I am going to try and get into the habit of doing that myself.
It’s interesting reading too, the different methodologies and theories of language learning. The class covers the basics, but I think if I were to move back to America, I might consider looking into getting a masters in TEFL. I know there are ways to do a masters in TEFL online, but I think if I am going to go to grad school, I’d rather actually go to school.
I like my class. It’s interesting to see that I just learned a lot by osmosis and just teaching without training. It’s also interesting to see the flaws in the teaching system here through a more educated filter. Actually put a name to the different kinds of poor teaching styles. It’s made me more critical of myself, too. It’s good timing to come into this relaxed and happy from a lovely vacation. I feel terribly guilty about my past teaching style and my complete spaceiness some days. But I know better now, and I will endeavor to do better.
It’s weird. I can feel this TEFL class opening a new phase of my life. I don’t know what I’ll do next. It scares me, I feel like I’ve done nothing in the past several years except sit around on a computer, but I have done things. I’ve traveled around Japan, learned to write comics and short stories that are actually short, and I have written five different novels in different genres. Two of them are actually complete (storywise anyway). And yes, I have wasted hours online, but I’ve also read a lot of books and found an interest in Japanese history and literature.
I have goals. There are several that I know I can do on my own, but there are a few that I can’t. I can do the writing goals on my own, and while I need help with the actual production of a comic, I know it will happen. Writing goals, I will achieve. Keikaku has already got a first and second scene and a sort of outline, and I am gaining interest in other projects again as well.
I’m really concerned that I am going to have anxiety problems soon, because of finding a new job and getting a new place to live. I am hopeful but worried, staying in one place isn’t always feasible in ESL work here in Japan. But I think I will be okay.
The only think that escapes me at the moment is actually finding someone that I want to spend my life with and have children with. It’s a common worry I guess. I’m 28 and I’ve only dated one guy, that’s great. I’m beginning to wonder if my dream of being a mother and a wife is totally wasted. This is ridiculous, I’m still very young! But I look at my friends who are happily marred, and I am a little jealous. Mind you, I’ve been stuck in the middle of nowhere for the past several years, and my options have been toothless old men and my students. So, yeah, no real opportunity because ew on both accounts. Especially on the students bit, yuck.
Typing that out made me feel marginally better, ahaha! So silly to let it effect me, I know. But sometimes you just start thinking about things, and they just swallow you whole, even if you know better. I have that problem more often then I care to admit-everyone has their insecurities. I take them to the extreme sometimes.
If you’ve read all of this crap, thank you. <3 I don’t generally like talking about it outside of convos with friends, but it’s been on my mind. And that is what this journal is about, getting things out of my mind.
Done and done. ^.^
For those of you curious about my TEFL course, I guess I can talk about it. I personally wish I would have done this while I was still in Kuse, because it’s easier to apply different teaching styles and methods to Elementary school lessons then to Junior High lessons. I also think that my teaching could have benefitted from the training and experience. I wonder-why did I not do this sooner? Probably because I was lazy and unthinking. Also there comes the problem of “Is this really what I want to do with my life?” I’m not sure English teaching IS what I want to do, but I know that it’s a good way to pay the bills right now. This is an investment into my future.
Okay that has nothing to do with the course, and is going down a path I don’t really want to think about right now. SO! Moving along.
While the class has a really easy quizzing method (it is ridiculous to get anything LESS then 100% when you can retake a MULTIPLE CHOICE quiz twice and they show you your mistakes the first time you take it), the essays are actually thought provoking. Five hundred words isn’t a lot to get your point across and back it up with the readings, which is probably why I am getting Bs all over. And commenting on your peers work can become tedious, but it is necessary. You can learn a lot, and it’s always fun trying to get into discussions. Sometimes it’s hard though, people don’t always respond to your comments-I am going to try and get into the habit of doing that myself.
It’s interesting reading too, the different methodologies and theories of language learning. The class covers the basics, but I think if I were to move back to America, I might consider looking into getting a masters in TEFL. I know there are ways to do a masters in TEFL online, but I think if I am going to go to grad school, I’d rather actually go to school.
I like my class. It’s interesting to see that I just learned a lot by osmosis and just teaching without training. It’s also interesting to see the flaws in the teaching system here through a more educated filter. Actually put a name to the different kinds of poor teaching styles. It’s made me more critical of myself, too. It’s good timing to come into this relaxed and happy from a lovely vacation. I feel terribly guilty about my past teaching style and my complete spaceiness some days. But I know better now, and I will endeavor to do better.
It’s weird. I can feel this TEFL class opening a new phase of my life. I don’t know what I’ll do next. It scares me, I feel like I’ve done nothing in the past several years except sit around on a computer, but I have done things. I’ve traveled around Japan, learned to write comics and short stories that are actually short, and I have written five different novels in different genres. Two of them are actually complete (storywise anyway). And yes, I have wasted hours online, but I’ve also read a lot of books and found an interest in Japanese history and literature.
I have goals. There are several that I know I can do on my own, but there are a few that I can’t. I can do the writing goals on my own, and while I need help with the actual production of a comic, I know it will happen. Writing goals, I will achieve. Keikaku has already got a first and second scene and a sort of outline, and I am gaining interest in other projects again as well.
I’m really concerned that I am going to have anxiety problems soon, because of finding a new job and getting a new place to live. I am hopeful but worried, staying in one place isn’t always feasible in ESL work here in Japan. But I think I will be okay.
The only think that escapes me at the moment is actually finding someone that I want to spend my life with and have children with. It’s a common worry I guess. I’m 28 and I’ve only dated one guy, that’s great. I’m beginning to wonder if my dream of being a mother and a wife is totally wasted. This is ridiculous, I’m still very young! But I look at my friends who are happily marred, and I am a little jealous. Mind you, I’ve been stuck in the middle of nowhere for the past several years, and my options have been toothless old men and my students. So, yeah, no real opportunity because ew on both accounts. Especially on the students bit, yuck.
Typing that out made me feel marginally better, ahaha! So silly to let it effect me, I know. But sometimes you just start thinking about things, and they just swallow you whole, even if you know better. I have that problem more often then I care to admit-everyone has their insecurities. I take them to the extreme sometimes.
If you’ve read all of this crap, thank you. <3 I don’t generally like talking about it outside of convos with friends, but it’s been on my mind. And that is what this journal is about, getting things out of my mind.
Done and done. ^.^