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Photo of one of my kindergarten classes at Instituto Tirso de Molina, Legazpi.
Adjusting to My New Role
Adjusting to My New Role
I originally wanted to teach older students before being placed with toddlers. I thought that because they have a higher level of English, teenagers would be easier and more fun to teach, because we would have at least been able to hold basic conversations together. Since I had no desire to teach such young learners, I began teaching at the preschool and kindergarten with some animosity toward the auxiliares program and the challenging teaching situation as I was in. I was nervous and afraid to teach consecutive lessons to four different classes of toddlers who do not speak my native language. Sounds daunting, right?!
I originally wanted to teach older students before being placed with toddlers. I thought that because they have a higher level of English, teenagers would be easier and more fun to teach, because we would have at least been able to hold basic conversations together. Since I had no desire to teach such young learners, I began teaching at the preschool and kindergarten with some animosity toward the auxiliares program and the challenging teaching situation as I was in. I was nervous and afraid to teach consecutive lessons to four different classes of toddlers who do not speak my native language. Sounds daunting, right?!
Photo of me holding hands with kindergartener Carlota on the way to recreo at Instituto Tirso de Molina, Legazpi.
Classroom Management
Classroom Management
After my first couple lessons with these students, I wanted to fly back home and stay there. Since I didn't have any teaching experience yet, I had not realized that teaching preschoolers and kindergarteners would include lots of ambiguity and unexpected curveballs. I had yet to understand that my lessons would most likely not go as planned, not because they were bad lessons, but because young learners naturally have a difficult time paying attention for long periods of time.
After my first couple lessons with these students, I wanted to fly back home and stay there. Since I didn't have any teaching experience yet, I had not realized that teaching preschoolers and kindergarteners would include lots of ambiguity and unexpected curveballs. I had yet to understand that my lessons would most likely not go as planned, not because they were bad lessons, but because young learners naturally have a difficult time paying attention for long periods of time.
I quickly became frustrated dealing with such young children who would not listen to what I was saying, and on top of that, they could barely even understand me! I prepared forty-five minute lessons for each of my classes but walked out of every classroom feeling so overwhelmed. None of my students would pay attention to me and I felt like such a failure.
I quickly became frustrated dealing with such young children who would not listen to what I was saying, and on top of that, they could barely even understand me! I prepared forty-five minute lessons for each of my classes but walked out of every classroom feeling so overwhelmed. None of my students would pay attention to me and I felt like such a failure.
Photo of Instituto Tirso de Molina campus, Legazpi.
Teaching Obstacles
Teaching Obstacles
Not only was the teaching itself difficult, but this experience was all happening in a foreign country. Although there were some students who have English-speaking parents or take private English lessons, the majority of my students did not speak even the slightest bit of English. The few kindergarteners who spoke English with their parents at home or took private lessons could hold very little conversation with me. I found this very impressive; these students and I had the sweetest and most adorable conversations. I loved teaching them because they understood the majority of what I was saying so I had no difficulty managing them for an effective lesson.
Not only was the teaching itself difficult, but this experience was all happening in a foreign country. Although there were some students who have English-speaking parents or take private English lessons, the majority of my students did not speak even the slightest bit of English. The few kindergarteners who spoke English with their parents at home or took private lessons could hold very little conversation with me. I found this very impressive; these students and I had the sweetest and most adorable conversations. I loved teaching them because they understood the majority of what I was saying so I had no difficulty managing them for an effective lesson.
The English proficiency of the rest of my Infantil students was extremely basic. Their vocabulary was as simple as the alphabet, numbers, colors, animals, weather, food, occupations, and sports. Consequently, I could not even get my students to move from their seats to the floor for story time because they did not understand what I was saying! I knew I had to change something about my teaching method and my approach to learning in such an inexperienced classroom if I wanted to succeed as a teacher and enjoy my job that I looked forward to for so long.
The English proficiency of the rest of my Infantil students was extremely basic. Their vocabulary was as simple as the alphabet, numbers, colors, animals, weather, food, occupations, and sports. Consequently, I could not even get my students to move from their seats to the floor for story time because they did not understand what I was saying! I knew I had to change something about my teaching method and my approach to learning in such an inexperienced classroom if I wanted to succeed as a teacher and enjoy my job that I looked forward to for so long.
Photo of me holding hands with Lola, a kindergartener at Instituto Tirso de Molina, Legazpi.
Learning Obstacles
Learning Obstacles
Although I was not allowed to speak Spanish with my students, I realized very early that is nearly impossible when working with such young learners. All of the other teachers and school staff spoke to me in Spanish in front of the students, so they slowly learned that they can speak to me in Spanish too. I understood them when they spoke to me in Spanish and I would try to respond in English, but by habit, I would answer back in Spanish because I knew they could understand me.
Although I was not allowed to speak Spanish with my students, I realized very early that is nearly impossible when working with such young learners. All of the other teachers and school staff spoke to me in Spanish in front of the students, so they slowly learned that they can speak to me in Spanish too. I understood them when they spoke to me in Spanish and I would try to respond in English, but by habit, I would answer back in Spanish because I knew they could understand me.
I realized that my method of teaching English to my toddler students without incorporating any Spanish into the lessons was not effective. It only made my simple job of working with such cute and sweet toddlers very stressful, leading to an unhappy teaching experience. My original lessons included me speaking completely in English, while doing universal hand gestures, such as pointing to the floor or table when I wanted my students to move. But because these students were so young and have such short attention spans, they had no idea what I wanted them to do unless I firmly asked or told them in Spanish.
I realized that my method of teaching English to my toddler students without incorporating any Spanish into the lessons was not effective. It only made my simple job of working with such cute and sweet toddlers very stressful, leading to an unhappy teaching experience. My original lessons included me speaking completely in English, while doing universal hand gestures, such as pointing to the floor or table when I wanted my students to move. But because these students were so young and have such short attention spans, they had no idea what I wanted them to do unless I firmly asked or told them in Spanish.
Photo of a private beach in southeast Mallorca, Spain.
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