Whoot!

I am having the time of my LIFE!

Today was such a great day!
I passed my test with flying colors! As of tomorrow when we get our certificates, I am officially a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages! So elated right now! I took myself out for spicy papaya salad and coffee for dinner. Everything was just perfect. All thanks to God.

Today I taught my last lesson required for the course. This lesson was on a stater level for people who have little to no understanding of the language. The lesson covered There are, There is, both singular and plural forms as well as questions. This was by far the easiest lesson I had to plan so far, because I was given nothing to work with as far as materials. Some may think it's easier to work with another person's ideas and materials, but personally I like to develop my own. I have so many ideas, and different ways (fun and creative) for the students to learn, that so many times I feel like the ideas the teachers give us to use are boring compared to the ones I could create. Sometimes I feel like Mrs.Wonka in the teaching world.
Just take chocolate for example.The subject is chocolate.Chocolate is a food that taste good (okay, chocolate is awesome). The point is not just to eat it, but to enjoy it. So how do you enjoy it? Or how does one learn?  Everyone is different, and they might like the taste of chocolate in various forms. For example, one person might prefer hot chocolate, while another might prefer chocolate cake, still another would want chocolate ice cream, and the others might want chocolate liquor.
The point is not everyone is going to be receptive or want a chocolate bar. Every one learns things differently. I know that I for one, don't learn very well if someone shoves a book in my faces, asks me to stand up, and read. No. Learning doesn't work that way for all people. I think creativity helps one arrive at knowledge unconsciously, and at the same time stores it on the hard drive of the conscious once confirmed by a verbal action, visual prompt, or fellow students voice.

Yet with that said, for some reason, I have not learned to master my own rabbit trails of thought. :)
Anyways, the students picked up easily on the lesson and elicited the board work with ease. The worksheets were just challenging enough, and the game at the end brought enough smiles, cheers, and laughter to tear the walls down. It was a blast! I felt warm all over, and my brain was feeding off what was happening before me in a single action. Maybe one could call it the energy of learning taking place. Truly you can see it changes their mind, for their faces light up when they can use the language fluently. The best feeling in the world to see that glow on a students face. Bombin'!!

I just got back from coffee where outside my favorite book store there was a newly married couple taking wedding pictures! Surprising, and so cute! This little girl around 2 or 3 came from out of nowhere, it seemed, and smiled at me. I realized her mom was close behind. I waved at her and put my hands in wei, bowing. It is so cute to see a little one place their chubby hands in wei (praying position), put hands to their nose, and say sawadee. So adorable! I actually got a picture of her, and am planning on going Friday to see if I can get all my pictures from my phone to the Internet. (don't start drooling yet...) :)

Tomorrow we have to lead a class in a 25 minute game. I am doing a team building exercise called Lava Trap, where the students have to unscramble a word, and make a sentence out of that word. Then they write their sentence on a log and move from island to island to the Magical Island of Candy, before their own island blows up from the Lava. It probably sound confusing on here, but on paper and in the class room it makes so much sense and I'm looking forward to it!!
I was thinking today. I would just be happy playing games with the students the entire class time! I love to play games, and have fun, and I know they do too. Haha. We had to categorize our teaching methods according to an animal, and I choose the Panda..... hmmm.


I have found several Internet cafes with cameras so you all can skype me anytime this weekend, just let me know what time, and I will be on! This is probably the last time I'll have free Internet access for at least 2 months.

Getting a more stable plan for what I'm going to be doing this NEXT month..... details soon. Love you all back home! India in March fo sure!