The Sweetest Thing A Teacher Can Hear
Nov. 6th, 2008 08:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blodeueddWhen I turned in my diplomatic passport and got the last of my things from the apartment, I thought that was the end of my embassy days. Turns out I was wrong, and this evening I started giving lessons there again. I'm glad both because it means more money, and because I barely get a chance to speak French anymore. C, the first friend I made in Japan and also my only francophone friend here, moved back to Canada in July, so since then my French has been limited to when I have guests, Skype with my mum, and one hour a week with another private student.
While I was waiting in the lobby for my student to come meet me, I got a delighted little shriek from the receptionist, who used to be in my Beginner French class, and similar greetings from two other former students. They all told me they were very sad that I had left, and could I come back and teach again? A few days ago I got an email (about something else) from another embassy employee, who said she missed my lessons and that "no one is as good as [me]". While it's always nice to hear something like that, tonight's reactions have got me wondering who took over the French lessons from me -- how bad are they?!
In all probability, it's the spouse (of an embassy employee) who has little to no experience teaching a second/foreign language to adults. And of course I'd seem great in comparison, because most of my work experience is just that, teaching French to adults.
While I was waiting in the lobby for my student to come meet me, I got a delighted little shriek from the receptionist, who used to be in my Beginner French class, and similar greetings from two other former students. They all told me they were very sad that I had left, and could I come back and teach again? A few days ago I got an email (about something else) from another embassy employee, who said she missed my lessons and that "no one is as good as [me]". While it's always nice to hear something like that, tonight's reactions have got me wondering who took over the French lessons from me -- how bad are they?!
In all probability, it's the spouse (of an embassy employee) who has little to no experience teaching a second/foreign language to adults. And of course I'd seem great in comparison, because most of my work experience is just that, teaching French to adults.
