Dale Hewitson - Surviving Teaching A Little Help For The New ESL Teacher

Surviving Teaching

Dale Hewitson

Published by Dale Hewitson at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Dale Hewitson

I would like to Thank

Phang Khon Wittyakom

AYC Thailand

Eslstarter.com

David Hewitson

Gillian Hewitson

Scott Hewitson

June Marisa

Papatsara Choomsuk

Pronthip Auppasai

All of my Students and family

Contents

Chapter 3: Creative Juices

Lesson plans from the internet, Warning!

Chapter 5: Tips and stories

Foreword

I will like to begin dispelling a great fallacy, which a lot of people seem to believe: life as a ESL teacher is like a holiday. It sometimes feels like it if you are in Thailand surrounded by beautiful sights and people, but the truth is, its not, you are there to work and support your students.

I started teaching a few years ago, I was petrified I had never experienced being in front of a class of people I didnt know and I spoke really softly, I felt so uncomfortable it must have been visible to everyone around me. But things change, we adapt, we learn from our mistakes especially lessons, which at first can be painful but there are others (and many of them) that are highly effective and enjoyable. So I thought this small book with its insights from a relatively new teacher abroad would help others if I shared my adventures and knowledge hoping that those who come after me will feel some benefit.

I will start by telling you who I am, or at least who I was prior to my experience with ESL. I was shy, you know the type of shy which hides under a barrel of bravado and I liked to pretend I was more than I was. Most of this I now know was a problem with my self-image. I would not describe myself as attractive or particularly well built and I was a computer nerd, having a degree is in Computer Games to prove it on paper. Design and production which sounds great but those of you who worked with IT professionals know the lack of social skills you get from a computer. I felt towards the end of my degree the need to escape and find real people and start a life.

My first thought was South Korea, a dream job

teaching, I talked about it all the time and felt it was my destiny. However a failed EPIK interview due to feedback that said I had a strong regional accent (although no one in my town or family would agree with that). In fact Korea likes its American speaking teachers so it wasnt to be.

So instead I found myself looking for all different ways to get work in Korea, at the same time working in a dead end government job and I hated ever second of it. I felt over qualified for the role, as I was able to finish the work quicker than those who had worked there for years and I spend mostly my time redesigning the whole computer system (not good with the whole data share risk that government offices have). So I kept on looking eventually finding an advertisement on the internet for a teaching placement with a TEFL course. There it was I was going to Thailand to study to be a teacher, working and living in a country I had little knowledge of or vaguely interested in having little interest of living in a tropical country. I knew no one who had worked there or heard no good things about it... but that changed once I got there I hope it helps you.

OK this is something which will hit you once you land in a new country, people on mass speak different and act in a completely alien way to you !!!! Oh yes and the signs have symbols and language which isnt English obvious I know but still a shock. The easy thing to do is to follow the herd of people walking towards immigration and if you are lucky to be in a place like Thailand it isnt too bad, the people are friendly and will let you through with little fuss (I dont think I need remind you of the drugs surveillance if you are stupid enough to not understand that, this little book isnt going to help you!) . In my experience the big differences come when you go to China and India, it isnt as friendly at all. In fact you may well get the feeling of being watched all the time... mostly because you are being watched all of the time. So the rule is just keep your head down and fill out your arrival card.

Thailand heat, The second you get into the country you will feel something which most people in England and a large chunk of America dont ever feel, true heat. This will be the first thing which you will have to deal with, it is something you will be living with for a long time, it doesnt get cold but it does get wet. You have to take care of that Westerner in you, firstly by drinking lots of water, dehydration is a killer and it creeps up on you so be ready. Fortunately Thailand has cheap water to buy, you can get a large 10 gallon container of water for your home for around 10-20 Baht, it is something you should invest in, and a cradle so you can pour it easy too. You should also carry around some bottles of water with you at all times, because the sun will get to you, you cant hide. Secondly you will need sunscreen, strangely the need for sunscreen will subside, I havent worn sunscreen for years and I have been fine and only on rare occasion I would get a burn but you have to be careful especially at the beginning and depending on your skin type of course.

A special couple of tricks you can do when you are in the heat is having an umbrella (you will see lots of locals carrying these and its not just for the rain) and wear clothes that can breathe. Men may well need to wear a button-up shirt as a teacher, you will sweat and sweat a lot and this can be really embarrassing especially as a new teacher, so a good little trick is to wear a small t-shirt underneath it will add a little extra padding but it will stop you from showing those patches of undesirable moisture, at least till you get used to it (and you will). Another nice trick is cooling powder which is easy to get a hold of in Thailand, the feeling is actually quite nice and you can find yourself enjoying the powder a little too much (if you know what I mean well maybe not!).

Finally a miracle I found for any problem I had with the heat, TOOTHPASTE. The base temperature of toothpaste is lower than the body temperature and it is thick and easy to spread. The special thing about toothpaste also is that it doesnt conduct heat very well so it is a great compress for the times you burn your skin.

Remember at home those times you and your friends would go to the local Chinese, Thai or Indian restaurant, how great it was well the food you get in the country isnt the same, so forget it. I remember going to a Thai restaurant at home and tasted this beautiful and sweet meal, then arriving in Thailand looking for similar, searching everywhere only to find it was Englands version of Thai! The same with China and India, at home we make it for English pallets not such luck abroad you just have to adjust. You will find good food in the country just dont go with the idea that I love Chinese food so I will love China.... Dont use this as a reason for picking the place you would like to teach.

The other thing to be ready for is the sickness as often the food will not agree with you, your body just isnt used to it. So I am sorry to tell you but you may find part of your first month is spent over/on a toilet releasing the demon (as its termed). On the bright side this is your body adapting to the food and the water it is cooked is different so you have been warned. There is no trick to skipping the diarrhoea and sickness you just have to live through it, staying hydrated all the time. I was sick for about a month with the mixture of heat and the new foods much so my girlfriend was afraid for my life (but I lived, she just likes to panic).