Being a Flexible Teacher...Learning to "Just Go With It"

Most people that know me in a professional capacity know that I do not like last minute changes in my schedule. I mean, who does? I have always said that my planning and organizing in the classroom is both a positive and a negative thing. One of the things I have reflected on in the past is my ability to go with the flow in the classroom. That doesn't mean I will ever be unprepared, but maybe just improvise a little more. This is essential when dealing with kids, because let's face it: we never know what they are going to do!!

Today, I had a true test with the idea of flexibility...and I have to say, I think I did well!

My Friday started as usual. In my grade 7 class we learned about pizza and different vocabulary that focused around that. We had fun saying PEET-ZAH over and over again!


In grade 10, we talked about envy and taking things for granted. The kids came up with some really great things. I was feeling pretty good because 1) it was Friday (and I have three day weekends EVERY week!) 2) it was lunchtime and I was hungry and 3) it was sunny and warm! I get to lunch, and my phone rings. It was the English consultant company that I work with. Well, I communicate with my school through them, since no one at the school can speak English. She explains to me that today the schedule has changed. They need me to go to the brand new elementary school to teach a lesson so that the teachers can see an "experienced" teacher working with 1st graders. Ummm....I am a middle school teacher!! FIRST GRADE!??

I froze....I started to hyperventilate. It was 12:30 and they wanted me to go at 1. I had no plans, not to mention that I have no experience with 1st graders!! I thought for a moment. I stopped and took a breath and realized that THIS is why I am here. I am here to experience as much as I can. I am here to challenge myself and see how I handle being thrown into these situations. I am here because I WANT to be. Yes, I could have complained, but instead I took 15 minutes to throw together a lesson on syllables, and 15 minutes to make manipulatives for it.

Ok, so I hitch a ride to this new school, which Er Shin just opened for the elementary kids. I get there, and this building is amazing. It is BRAND new. I walk in and see these mini-people and they are SUCH cuties. Oh my goodness were they adorable!! I set up my lesson and started teaching.

I had them read a poem about transportation, and I focused on words like train, plane, bus, and trolley. I then circled these words and clapped them out. I asked the kids what was different between the four words, and they realized that trolley had two claps, and the others only had one. YES!! I said...and so our activity started.

I set up three boxes on a table in front of the classroom. I wrote a sign on each: 1, 2, and 3. I gave each kid a little slip of paper and told them that was for them to earn stamps, and if they participated, they would get a stamp. I had big flash cards of pictures on them: like bus, sun, umbrella, balloon, etc. I held the first few cards up, and then asked them how many claps each picture had. This hit not only the new concept of syllables, but reviewed their English vocabulary. Then, I handed out the cards to some of the kids who were sitting quietly and raising their hands, and they were able to come up and place the card in the right box indicating how many syllables it had. Each kid that did that got a stamp!

They rocked it!! Not to say this was all a perfect lesson...I definitely would have done some things differently, but I was VERY proud of myself for not freaking out and losing it in a panic. Sometimes, it is good to pat ourselves on the back!

I think sometimes teachers need to trust their ability to come up with an idea and execute it effectively. However, with that being said I definitely believe in preparing for each lesson for each class. There is no one lesson that works for every class.

So, I guess I am happy to say that I have already started working on something that I have always wanted to work on since I started teaching: my teaching improvisation/flexibility!

I have survived my first week teaching in Taiwan...and I have to say I LOVE it!

That's all for now!