An F for First Day

Today I had my first official English class.  I wont lie: I felt like a bit of a hack.

A few weeks ago, I was called by Berlitz for an interview.  They said they weren't expecting to recruit (I'd actually already received a "Thank you for you CV, but..." reply from them earlier) but they had some spots they needed to fill, fast.  Lucky me! (No sarcasm implied).

After 2 interviews, I was invited to their 8-day training session to learn the "Berlitz Method."  Oy vey, is it involved.  Given, a lot is teaching-English common sense and familiar to anyone having gone through either an education or TEFL/TESOL course: there's still your PPP (Presentation, Practice, Performance) and your TTT (teacher talking time), your listening/speaking/reading/writing activities, and your Role Plays and Skits.  Then there's the actual method.  I'd tell you, but I'd have to kill you.  Well, maybe not, but I did sign a confidentiality contract.

During the 64 hours of training, me and 6 other teachers-in-training had many opportunities to practice with and for each other, the different methods.  We also had two separate mock-classes on which we were more formally evaluated.  There was also just a half-day devoted to understanding the myriad of paperwork that goes into each class and student.

Admittedly, I may have had a sip of the Kool-Aid.  Berlitz seems pretty cool.  The company is certainly well organized and as a product, it makes big promises.  I'm hoping for my own opportunity to take some Berlitz classes.  I would love to see if the method works for me and my slow-going German (while also hoping to take notes from other teachers).

Most importantly, I'm also very grateful to now have a paying job.  Although the pay is not spectacular, it's also average for Berlin. And, after my performance today, I don't necessarily fault them for it.

Today was my first class, the first of the next 20, I'll have with this small group of women.  I certainly committed a couple of the teaching sins: I managed to neither get any whiteboard markers or check that I had a CD player in my room before class started.  Smart Katie, really smart.  And as much as I tried to stick to the formula we went over (and over and over and over...) in training, I don't know if I really succeeded.  I know that I didn't really feel successful.  But more than anything, I think I just felt nervous.

At the end of each of our demos during training, we were first asked how we would evaluate our own performance.  I wouldn't give myself very high marks for todays performance.  I don't know how I would really change it, other than simply being more prepared and less nervous (a "duh" statement, I'm aware).  In the end, I know what most of it comes down to is that I'm learning as much about teaching (and teaching at Berlitz) as my students are English.  I might even argue that I'm learning more.

Phew.  And this was just the first class.

So this is "fall"

I'm fully expecting to defrost the turkey and start peeling the potatoes in just a couple of days.  And then I keep reminding myself that it is NOT, I repeat NOT, November.  It is in fact just September.

Sure, I'm always anxious for the holidays to begin.  But really, I'm of the belief that Thanksgiving is just around the corner because I'm not really used to it being this cold already. 

Today was actually a beautiful fall day (or what I've always seen in the movies as "fall").  The wind was blowing but the sun was bright and it was comfortable enough to enjoy sitting in the park, complete with pants and a sweater.  The leaves have been falling from the trees for weeks now (but maybe they always do this?).  The dampness and cold of recent nights have made me feel like I was out enjoying a brisk Christmas evening in Phoenix.

The end of "summer"...

And this is why I'm so conned.  Living in Phoenix for so long, most of my experiences with "seasons" have actually been through pictures, other people, and short vacations.  I've been fortunate enough to see the leaves change in the New England, and even got excited for the same thing in Los Angeles (yes, LA still has more autumn color than central Arizona).  I lived through one season change while studying abroad in New Zealand, but I hardly remember that now.  And my years in Spain, although colder (and in Cordoba, wetter) than in AZ or LA, I'm all too aware (but not at all prepared) that Berlin is much, much, colder than anywhere I've lived before.

So, for now, I'll put away the poultry seasoning and oven bags, pack away my shorts, and bring out my heavier coats and scarves.  I'm in it for the long haul.