A brighter day

It has been some week in terms of mood swings and emotions: all very much hormone-driven I suspect. Those of you reading who are female will understand. But I don't doubt that some of it is part of the experience of living here and Actually Working for a change. (It's tiring :-)

I was, I think, at an all time low the other day, but one that was a combination of tiredness, hormones and maybe the change in the seasons. It is now dark at 5 (if not earlier. I never notice because I'm teaching). Plus it is definitely getting chillier. I need to get a blanket - I was lent out but they want it back; I only have a couple of thin fleecy things because they were cheap. Who wants to buy a blanket which they are not going to take home with them? Anyway I will investigate.

Wow, Christmas may finally have arrived in Sicilia. Not only have the school mentioned it - with a view to meeting for a meal and for doing Xmassy things with the students (I propose starting on 1 December, perhaps this is too early) - but the shops are putting up more decorations and Christmassy things. Apparently lights in the street are the (oh my god what is the word?) the responsibility of the shops, so there is no council lighting - no council nothing probably, given what I have heard about things here and I am sure you all have some idea why.

So yesterday was nice and I began to feel less low because the students of my upper intermediate class had suggested going for a pizza together, and the other teachers and a few of their classes came too. So we went to a really nice pizzeria down by the sea front - it's called the lungo mare (I think) and I think translates roughly as sea front. Or promenade. It's the road alongside the sea, anyway, which is not far from us. So my student ordered us some typical Sicilian starters, and a selection of pizzas, so we could all try different slices. He also asked for some local wine from the Etna region which was nice - light and fruity. The nice thing about Italians - and the Spanish - is that they are happy to have just a small amount and unlike British people do not feel the need to drink lots. Which is good for me. The food was really delicious. I did try to speak some Italian but it is still basic, so it was quite painful. But I am pleased to say we start lessons with the school next week.  I was sat with the two brothers in the class who are both doing medicine (I have some very bright students) and I was talking to the younger one about Sicily and Christmas, and what they do. He, unlike most people, wants to leave Catania and go somewhere else. Earlier, in our class, I asked them to discuss zoos and it seemed to go well as they thought up some good points for and against. I, of course, could rant about the subject for hours, but I managed (I hope) to let them speak instead of me.

Today went well - the hormone induced darkness has lifted, hooray, and so although it is a long day when I have four lessons, (sorry but it does feel like a long day!) I enjoyed them. My last class, one of my pre-intermediate groups, also asked me for pizza one day as a pre-Xmas thing - so it's really nice. I did a revision class with them about many of the things we have covered up until now. I was very pleased and relieved that they remembered everything and even remembered more than I did about one of the grammatical tenses. (I probably should not say that here). But I was happy to see that they have learned and retained things - all their own work I should add, as I have not learned it for them. I don't know why, but it struck me during the lesson that really it's all about people needing or wanting to be liked - what I mean is that it is so important to me that my classes like me, and being invited out by them is reassuring. And I can see it is important for them to know that what they say and how they learn is also respected and encouraged by me and the other classmates - in short, that we all get on well with each other.  Does this ring a bell, I hear you ask, a Carl-Rogers-shaped bell? Yes indeed it does. Milo and I learned many a thing about Carl Rogers once upon a time and his work can be helpful in thinking about teaching.

As I was saying to Jo, being a teacher means being many things (as I am finding out); not only do we have to understand grammar, etc, but there are different skills we have to learn such as recognising how to motivate and encourage our students. It is essentially about understanding people - which we all know is not always easy.

So... the teaching side is interesting and I just wish I had more time to think about the best approach for each person and each class.  Today I had the ragazzini (no longer will I be referring to them as teens) and honestly, I explained adverbs and comparative adverbs so badly, it was cringeworthy. But perhaps we can come back to them soon.

I meant to blog ages ago how I had totally overlooked their ages one day. We were doing ".... ago" so for example, I watched a film a week ago. I was giving other examples on the board, "ten years ago, twenty years ago..." I wrote. Then I realised and said to them, "oh, except you are not old enough to remember anything 10 years ago (they are 12+) and you weren't alive 20 years ago!"

I'm sure I had many other things to say but can't say all of them here. My sister recommended the series "Detectorists" to me - if you haven't seen it back in the UK, then I recommend it. It is so well written, with subtle and very British humour - the characters are well drawn and it is very human. Absolutely beautiful :-)