I'm a Pseudo Teacher

I teach 12 hours a week to 6-12 students at a time. I have taught normal classes, special education classes, and honors classes. Since I only take part of the class at a time I only see my students once every two or three weeks. This makes it really hard to learn names and establish relationships. It’s also hard to see what, if any, progress I might be contributing.

Preparation for class isn’t too difficult. Once I have a good lesson plan I can use it in several classes for several weeks. I think preparation takes me longer than a real teacher because I have no experience planning. Using the same lesson several times is always interesting. I love to see what different classes come up with. Also, the same lesson might be a complete failure with one class and a total success with another.

Students at my school are known for being difficult, although I don’t usually have any trouble with them. If I do, then I send the student back to the real teacher. I have a quasi teacher status but the students don’t seem to perceive me as a teacher. I’m five years younger than the youngest teacher at the school, students use my first name, I don’t give grades, and some students have cussed in front of me. I don’t think they know that I know French cuss words. As long as the student isn’t being mean or directing their cuss words at someone particular, I don’t run interference. Prior to winter break I felt like a rock star. Every time I walked down the hall I would hear “Hello Miss!” “How are you Miss?” “Jamie! I love you” “You are beautiful” etc. etc… At first this was a little overwhelming.

Because the students don’t see me as a real teacher, sometimes they can get a little chatty in class. I encourage students to talk, in a structured English environment. However, when they are chatty it is with each other and in French. When the students are chatty I ask them to stop, refuse to go on, move the student, and if it comes to it give my “it’s hard to learn a language” talk.

I give this talk in French which usually gets their attention. I explain to them that I practice French every day yet I still make mistakes. I ask them if they think 4 hours of English a week is really enough to learn a language. Then I tell them they need to profit from every second of class time which is why I use gestures and other English words to explain things they don’t understand. I also tell them that their chattiness is unfair and has a negative effect on the students who are interested in learning. I tell chatty students that if they are not interested they shouldn’t ask to come with me again. Finally I make it clear that if the chatty students don’t sit quietly for the time being they will be sent immediately back to class. I move on after I look the chattiest students in they eye and ask them if they understand.