ACTIVATING EVENT

Two days ago, I had the opportunity to perform as a Foreign Language teacher on my own and I had various feelings while in class and afterwards. In the last few weeks I have been observing as well as teaching for certain tasks with my tutor and things have worked out pretty well, taking into account that is the first time that I am being a teacher.

The class that I was with on Monday was second grade, and they are used to see me sitting with them and helping them with their activities or doubts. Considering the idea that they had/have about me, someone who is helping the teacher, they could not understand how all of a sudden I was the main teacher who was going to be performing the entire class, therefore that is why their behaviour was messy, they did not want to listen to my instructions and instead some of them were making jokes making me feel truly uncomfortable. I got frustrated when I realise that they did not pay attention to what I was saying and I did not want to castigate them because I felt that it was not the right way to teach the right values. However, they do not act that way with my tutor and she does punish them every time she feels that they have to correct their conduct. I want them to feel that they can count with me and I am there to teach them but at the same time to be their friend as well, which I am seeing as a problem because, some of them are already taking the advantage of my kindness.

In the class, in order to keep them in silent and attentive I had a serious talk with them in Basque so they could understand why I was there, what I was expecting from them and how I was feeling due the situation. It kind of worked but still needed something else that I have to work on; such as, classroom management.