TEFL Day Four - The First Lesson!

I woke up today really early and feeling rather anxious about the day ahead. I got up and after having a coffee I went straight into the planning of my very first lesson! I had already started it but had so many ideas in my head yesterday after a whole day of going over lesson planning and elicitation and talking about killer burgers that I was frazzled.
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After I gathered my thoughts I got to work. I decided my first lesson would be about the Weather. Basically I would be using the skills I have learned these last few days, and the ones I already have, to teach a class of Italian students about the weather in English. Seems simple right? It’s not…

I spent quite a while on my full lesson plan, if I was to go into loads of detail about it then this would be a very long post indeed but I’ll give you the main details. In the lesson plan we have to give the lesson a name, pick a topic and make sure we have a very clear objective, or Terminal Objective. This objective in the skills based lessons is what we are hoping to achieve by the end of the lesson. Mine was that the students would be able to debate about the extreme weather in America and if it should influence if you decide to visit or not.

There were vocabulary words that I had to use various elicitation techniques to help the students to learn and understand, such as thunderstorm, raining cats and dogs, directions, etc etc and there was to be a short worksheet about an article that they had to read and understand.

Once I had completed the lesson plan and created all of the resources I got myself ready and headed out of the door. I challenged my comfort-zone twice today, firstly I was giving my first lesson in a classroom setting and secondly... I wore a dress! Anyone that knows me knows this doesn’t happen very often but oh my it was warm today, pushing 30 degrees and humid too so I needed something cool. Although I was still sweating like a crazy person by the time I had got through all of the tourists and made it to the train with 1 minute to spare! Honestly, some people really do walk slow right? They just stop in front of you when you’re walking. These people nearly made me miss my train!

I got to Borgo San Lorenzo at about 3.20pm and I had a drink in the café at the station before wandering to the school. I wasn’t stalling or anything I just wanted to gather my thoughts over a nice coffee. Nikoletta arrived just after me at 4pm and we spent the next 2 hours practicing, photocopying and setting up (as well as slightly panicking when the first students started to arrive!).

6pm soon came around and then I was up, I was going first! We were observed today and also did peer observations so that we can get feedback. The students eventually all arrived and that was it – the lesson had begun. It all went so fast, 50 minutes is not that long, and before I knew it is was time to hand over to Nikoletta. I feel my lesson went well, as well as it could, and I enjoyed it in the end. The students were at an intermediate level but they were good and were all really engaging which helped. I observed Nikoletta afterwards and noticed some great practice so I was pleased for her too.

Feedback came afterwards and we were both told we had done well and that we were both naturals. What a relief!! Of course there was some constructive feedback, I did talk a little fast in places and missed a small part of my plan out but mostly the feedback was good.

I am so happy it is over but even happier I did it and enjoyed it! I played it cool on purpose beforehand so I didn’t work myself up but there was a brief second just before it started where I thought ARGH I CAN’T, but it’s amazing what a deep breath can do!

We only just made it back to the last train to Florence at 8.30pm tonight, and when we got back into the city it was pouring with rain but HA! who cares? I’m British so I can cope and I just did my first lesson so I didn’t mind that my shoes were ruined on the way home!

I enjoyed my late dinner at home tonight and I’ve been trying to watch this week’s Bake Off but the stupid thing wouldn’t play so I watched a film instead!

Tomorrow I’m up early to get to the school and I’m looking forward to another day! Plus, it’s FRIDAY!

I definitely need a little rest over the weekend…
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Nicola xx