Second Year Teaching Placement: Day Fifteen

Ahhhhh, I'm so sad that today was the last day! It ended on a better note than I could've ever imagined. So I started the day with grade 10 French and I just walked around and helped them with anything they didn't understand. Then in second period Jurgan and I had this long break because it was assembly day, so we spent it all talking. Well the first few minutes I was working on my lesson plan and trying to understand pronom relatifs so I could teach it. He told me in depth and showed me pictures of his excursions all over the world. He is such an interesting guy and so genuine. I find it hilarious how I used to think that he was so mean and not understanding of students but now I can see how truly he cares. He cares so much it's just that some of his teaching methods are a little old, plus he's a substitute teacher so he doesn't know the students. He told me the most hilarious stories of how he fell of a camel on a class trip to Egypt and I died it was so funny.

Next period it was a grade 9 class and I mostly worked in the back of the class trying to get my lesson perfect. I mostly stayed in the back and listened to his lesson. Then it was finally my turn to teach a lesson! I taught a grade 11 French class and to be honest I think I spoke a little too much English but it's okay. We're all learning right? So for my lesson I taught pronom relatifs and went over what each of them were used for and I used a simple example to demonstrate. Then I gave them a worksheet to do and told them to do it quickly so we could have time to play a game. We took up the work and I checked it on the board, I guess I should've asked a student to be the marker. Then I played my game which was a 1 truth and 3 lies game. So I had each table take a magazine and choose a page on it, then I had them write 1 truth and 3 lies (basically one sentence each) but each sentence had to use a relatif pronom. When the groups went to present they had a sentence on each white board and the class had to guess then they would reveal the picture. If a table got it right then they would be awarded one point but if the group could fool the class then they get 2 points. The game went well I think, one thing I would change is I'd have each student write their answers on a blank piece of paper in huge writing so that the other groups wouldn't have to wait for so long for the white boards.

The second game that I wanted to play but didn't have time was this "useless product" advertisement where the students had to come up with a stupid product and sell it in 3 sentences using relatifs pronoms. For example, I had the idea of a waterproof towel and I would try to sell it in 3 sentences with at least 1 pronom relatif in each sentence. But we didn't have enough time but it's okay. At the end of the day Jurgan gave me a debrief and said I did a good job with a few pointers about learning/reviewing pronom relatif more but other than that it was well done.

After school, I met with Diane and all the teachers and I gave them their cards that I wrote and you could tell how happy they were to receive them. I almost teared up because it was such a sweet moment. I didn't think that I was doing much for these teachers, just doing my part as a student teacher but I guess they found it really helpful. I'm going to miss everyone and everything so much!

Until next time!

Suzy