I am.... appreciated?....what?
I've been nervously pacing around my mailbox for the past few days waiting for next school year's schedule. Nervous because last year I was given three sub days which I hate because usually I wouldn't end up subbing for anyone but sitting around in the office folding flyers or writing inane English comments "I like tomatoes. Do you like tomatoes?" on posters because the staff thinks that will impress the parents...Luckily I got two sub shifts filled in not long after. Also, I've become remarkably adept at sneaking off to the web room and watching Judge Judy....
Anyhow, I am absolutely thrilled with my new schedule. Daunted, but thrilled. My company has a program called Senka which they run at a few of the central schools. The students study English for 25 hours a week, and have 5 different teachers (English and Japanese) teaching different English classes (pronunciation, grammar, conversation, writing, reading etc.). The students are incredibly motivated and they generally leave the program completely fluent and jet off on their dreams of new jobs or living abroad. I've talked to a few of them and they just rock in general. There's not many of these classes available, but nearly every teacher wants them because
1. The students are amazing. They work hard.
2. Senka is taught during the day. Shifts usually end at 4, 5 at the latest. Nearly all other shifts don't end till 9:30.
3. Senka is taught downtown, so the commute is short.
And I got two days of Senka!!!! I'm teaching two video classes (yes, now I'M the one forcing others to watch lame 80's videos) and a conversation class as well. Yay! I also got two group classes and 5 kids classes, which I'm looking forward to. And best of all...NO SUB DAYS.
Then to top it off, I even got a small raise!!! No one else Jason and me have talked to before has gotten a raise!!! Jason didn't even get one. I am now the principal breadwinner of our household...HA!
So I've spent this week observing other Senka teachers who kick so much butt and I'm scared because while I think I'm OK enough at my job, they are really, really, good. A lot of them have teaching degrees or have been teaching for decades, and their classes are so well put together. One guy who I've known for a while called Mark organized it so I could watch his class and it was just...perfect. I like him because he's Australian and laid-back and uber nice to me, and whenever a female says anything remotely clever he says "good girl!" but it's somehow not condescending but really sweet and friendly.
ANYWAY
I'm excited. And nervous. And when I think back to the best parts of my life, those are the things I usually felt. Bring it on, new school year!
Anyhow, I am absolutely thrilled with my new schedule. Daunted, but thrilled. My company has a program called Senka which they run at a few of the central schools. The students study English for 25 hours a week, and have 5 different teachers (English and Japanese) teaching different English classes (pronunciation, grammar, conversation, writing, reading etc.). The students are incredibly motivated and they generally leave the program completely fluent and jet off on their dreams of new jobs or living abroad. I've talked to a few of them and they just rock in general. There's not many of these classes available, but nearly every teacher wants them because
1. The students are amazing. They work hard.
2. Senka is taught during the day. Shifts usually end at 4, 5 at the latest. Nearly all other shifts don't end till 9:30.
3. Senka is taught downtown, so the commute is short.
And I got two days of Senka!!!! I'm teaching two video classes (yes, now I'M the one forcing others to watch lame 80's videos) and a conversation class as well. Yay! I also got two group classes and 5 kids classes, which I'm looking forward to. And best of all...NO SUB DAYS.
Then to top it off, I even got a small raise!!! No one else Jason and me have talked to before has gotten a raise!!! Jason didn't even get one. I am now the principal breadwinner of our household...HA!
So I've spent this week observing other Senka teachers who kick so much butt and I'm scared because while I think I'm OK enough at my job, they are really, really, good. A lot of them have teaching degrees or have been teaching for decades, and their classes are so well put together. One guy who I've known for a while called Mark organized it so I could watch his class and it was just...perfect. I like him because he's Australian and laid-back and uber nice to me, and whenever a female says anything remotely clever he says "good girl!" but it's somehow not condescending but really sweet and friendly.
ANYWAY
I'm excited. And nervous. And when I think back to the best parts of my life, those are the things I usually felt. Bring it on, new school year!