Unexpected

Today I was supposed to start working with a new seventh grade class. I’d only visited the class once before, a month ago, and really don’t know the instructor all that well, but it seemed like a good class. I was excited to get started.

Class time comes and I go to the room and the kids are there, but no instructor. Finally, this man comes in (not the instructor), and I introduce myself and he’s like “Oh, you’re a visiting English teacher? Great, I was supposed to substitute for this class, but here, you can do it instead.” I start to explain why that’s not the best idea ever, but then he’s gone, leaving me with thirty students I don’t know, and absolutely no idea what to do with them. Me, alone, unprepared in a room of fourteen-year-olds. I’ve had teaching nightmares about this kind of thing.

After that initial, stomach-dropping, moment, it ended up being okay. They showed me where they were in their book and we read some passages about Wales and rugby (two things I am definitely an expert on, for sure), did a writing activity where they asked me how to say obscure German sports words in English, and then played “Heads Up, Seven Up,” for five minutes. I’ve been dying to play that game with students since I’ve been here, I’m not sure why.

Wow, I’ve never been so happy to have fifty minutes finished with. I think the surprise of suddenly having an American babbling at them was definitely in my favor. They were really well behaved. I may not be so lucky once they’re used to me. The big question is: will I still have that teaching nightmare? I’ll let you know.