I can't teach any better if I teach the same things that you teach, from the same books, with the same methods. If you want me to help, give me a little freedom, let me try some methods that have been proven to work in my own schooling and language learning. Yes, the first time students are exposed to certain activities they will not get it, but change takes time, and for every improvement, a certain amount of risk must be tolerated. Yes I know your methods work (for a very few students, and at an overall low level), and mine might not work, but if they do, they may work better. Finding a balance between what the teachers are used to and what I want to do has been really hard. Some things are done only because that's how they've always been done, the original reason completely forgotten. When I question these ways, I run into a brick wall, and told not to make ripples. This semester they have a review from the district center, and although this school does not have a stellar record, they are afraid to do anything which the district might bring down their score, even a little bit. What they don't understand is that if the kids can communicate with English, they'll also score better on English tests. The way that vocabulary is written, always given with a pronunciation transcription is particularly frustrating. If they never learn how to pronounce English letter combinations, then how will they ever sound out new words when they are reading? Yes eventually precise pronunciation is desired, but honestly, can't that wait till after basic language command? Some teachers' insistence that every workbook exercise be covered in class is also ridiculous. Workbooks are to be done at home, and there are so much more fulfilling and real activities that can be done in the classroom. I am a teacher, not a workbook-reader. If the kids don't do their workbooks at home, maybe it's because English class is so boring (because they just do workbooks) that they certainly don't want to do more of it at home. Maybe if they were actually convinced that English might be useful, or even just one of their fun classes at school, they would do their workbook exercises.
The flu is going around, but I have the flu shot, so I'm invincible? Weird. What will my immune system be like in two years when I stop taking the flu shot? The best thing about European tv is that there is at least one track meet televised every weekend. I think that the Ukrainians have a fair amount of talent, in the field and the women's sprints and dashes. Of course it is frustrating when the camera leaves the 3000m to watch a pole vaulter, and then comes back, after you've missed the quarter that split the field. Indoor soccer time…
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