Some more great teaching experience

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Yesterday evening after a long day at school, I had the English lessons over in Colmar, which Daniele had asked me to come along to. I hadn't hesitated in saying yes when she asked me - as much as I don't really like speaking in front of lots of people, somehow when I'm in a teaching situation, it's different and I feel more confident.

However, as the time drew nearer I did start to get very nervous especially when the students started arriving. They were all very curious about who I was and what I was doing there, dressed what must have seemed a bit strangely - I was wearing a white shirt and black skirt with a Welsh shawl pinned around my shoulders with a daffodil (the lesson was evidently Wales-based) - I chose to leave the Welsh hat on the desk - I didn't want to make myself look like too much of an idiot.

During the first part of the lesson (as I tried to get rid of my nerves), I smiled sweetly whilst the adult students did their best to ask me questions in English. It wasn't long before I'd let go of my nerves and as the lesson progressed and my confidence grew, I began to really enjoy myself.

After the questions were over, I did a small presentation on Wales using a mixture of French and English. It was great to teach a class who were clearly so interested and motivated - not at all like teaching the 4eme!

Then I gave them a pair activity to do to see how much of the vocabulary they'd learnt. I was pleased to discover that they'd learnt it well and managed to do the activity no problem.

Whilst they started on another activity, me and Daniele handed out Welsh tea, Welsh cakes and Bara Brith. It really was a great lesson and at the end I got to teach them a few words in Welsh - the response is always the same and I love being able to speak such a difficult language.

The second class went just as well, if not better because I had more confidence. They all seemed so interested whenever I spoke in English and they had so many questions to ask me!

They also commented on how good my French was but as I explained to them, I've been learning for seven years - they've only just started learning English. I also told them about the difficulties I'd had with my confidence and how I'd never wanted to speak in French class - I thought of how shocked Bernard Sautin would have been to have seen me speaking French like that in front of a class of fifteen people.

It's certainly given me more confidence which is good news for me sharing my testimony on Saturday - I know I can do it - I just have to believe in myself!

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