being an ESL teacher.....

Last Tuesday was my last day of teaching at the Hogwon. As you know from my previous post, I started teaching last February. I tought once a week to relieve L, since weekend classes had started. But there aren't many student enrolled, or should I say none! So they told him that they needed his hours back. The worst part is they arranged for him to teach high school. One thing about hogwon directors is that they take advantage of their foreign teachers. They tend to monopolize your time to the fullest so they can get their money's worth. Anyway, that's another story!

In any case, I am greatful that they allowed me to teach in their school. It was one big experience for me, albeit a short one.

Being an ESL teacher is not an easy task. One needs to be flexible, spontaneous, and creative. The teacher must keep the class's interest up and find different things to do each day.

It is very stressful being an ESL teacher. One's patience is always being tested. The fact that we are foreigners and can't speak their language makes it really hard. It's not just that we're dealing with students attitudes, but trying to make them learn. Most of the students are hard headed and unmotivated. If you ask them why they are there it's "Because of my mother said so." At times I wanted to pull my hair out when a student was being stubborn and couldn't get what I was trying to say no matter how I tried. Once you become an ESL teacher you must really work on being patient.

One good thing about teaching English is it makes you a better English speaker. You learn things that you never knew about the language. Sometimes it amazed me how bizarre the language is when it comes to spelling and pronunciation.

The best part of being an ESL teacher is getting to know the students. Sometimes they blow you away by being very cute and sweet :)