September

Ah, September.  The air is cooler, the oppressive heat is gone.  Sure, it’s a sign that winter is on the way, but this is perfect weather, it’s comfortable to be outside in and i intend to appreciate it while it lasts.

It’s cool enough to justify a jacket, which means more pockets and quick, convenient access to phone and glasses.

As a teacher, though, September is back  to school month and, even as a freelance English teacher, business is picking up.  Today was my first day back with a class I started teaching last spring.  Actually, it’s two classes.

No offense to any of my other students, I love you all, but these are my favorite classes.  It’s in a children’s center in a small town just out of Prague, so I teach in a room where there is space to run around, and balls of different colors which is  one way of teaching colors and doing a little bit of TPR (total physical response, based on  the theory that people learn faster if there is some motion or touch which imprints the word on your neural system, or something like that) which I think is a great method.  Not just with kids, but just try getting adults to do it.

The first class most of the kids are 4 and 5.  One girl started crying, but she cheered up as the class went on.  One other little boy, I saw his mother struggling with him in the hallway, he was crying and didn’t want to come in.  So, he didn’t. Oh, well, I hope they come back but a teacher can’t do anything when the parents can’t persuade the child to join the class.

Anyway, I kept their interest for most of the hour but, in the last 5 minutes, one little girl said to another – and they have not yet learned the art of whispering discreetly – “this isn’t fun any more.” (už to neni zabavny)  I still rate the class as a success.  An hour is a long time at that age.

The second class was older, 6 up to 9, and mostly boys.  Different set of problems.  They play a bit rougher with each other. Still, 11 kids, they stayed engaged for the whole hour, and nobody got hurt.

I like teaching kids.  They are the future.  In September, as the leaves are starting to turn brown and the  kids go back to school, they are budding adults.  It is springtime for a new generation.