Last week I was asked by Jozef A. if I was interested in speaking in some classes in a school. I told him that I was willing to consider it, his reply being that he wanted me to go with him to talk to the principle at a primary school in Trencin (the same school which his sons attend). I went and we talked, the outcome being that I will be going to the school every Tuesday and Friday morning for the English classes held on those days. I would be given some topics to choose from and then I would speak from which ever I chose. In a sense, I was supposed to somehow hold a conversation with the whole class. I knew it wouldn't be very easy, but I was willing to give it a try.
Yesterday I went for the first time. The first class I had was one of the 7th grade classes, and turned out to go quite smoothly. I tried my best to get the students to talk back to me (since talking from both sides is what conversation is about) but without my having to push them to do it. Most of their teachers are already quite "pushy" and do a good job of ruining the fun of learning, so I wanted to try my best to make the class time I had with them a little more enjoyable. After this first class I had an hour break and then I would go on to the next class, which would be sixth graders. This class was a little more fun to teach, maybe having to do with the fact that I was a little warmed up, but also to do with the difference in ages (you could almost read that "egos").
Friday will probably be the hardest set of classes, being the other 7th grade class, plus the 8th and 9th grades. I can see already that my "teaching" style will have to change a little from class to class, but it is nice that I'm allowed to keep the same topic for each of the classes. The whole idea of "teaching" a class is kind of new for me, but then again learning is always part of teaching, right?
I'll be sure to post updates on the outcome of Friday, and in general keep you informed of how this new "job" goes.
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