The Job

Sorry for the radio silence this last week - I'd like to say I've just been too busy, but I think laziness might also play its part. So, amongst some interesting nights out (everything is so expensive), yet more bureaucracy woes, choir rehearsals and a shock induction into clothes shopping in France (EVERYTHING IS SO EXPENSIVE!) I actually did some work this week.

After some confusion where everyone in the English department seemed to think I would have training on Monday afternoon - even after my frequent assertions that it was definitely only in the morning - students were informed that my Monday 16h was cancelled. I, however, was not.

False starts aside, this meant that my very first day ever in a 'proper' job was Thursday: 8h-17h. I was prepared, and everything went smoothly, but even so, a few things really startled me. Firstly the difference between each class, despite them all being in the same year group, was huge: I taught the same lesson three times in a row and the first class were clever but mute, the second were enthusiastic but inaccurate, and the final group looked so bored I changed the topic. There was also an overwhelming difference with regards to class size. I knew smaller was supposed to be better but I had no idea that five students from a 'technical' (less academic) class would talk so much more than ten from a 'science' or 'literature' class!

Unfortunately it will continue to be like this, as my classes rotate meaning I will only see each group once every four weeks making it impossible to build a rapport. Another few things I'll just have to get used to.