Back to school

Well, the course is over and what a month it was. At the same time this has been one of the most rewarding and most intense month for a very long while.

TEFL certification does not come in a cornflake box. It's bloody hard work, hence the lack of blog updates in the last four week. When you get it, you know you've earned it. And I got it .....

The course is over four weeks. Each of the weeks contain two teaching assessments which are carried out at real schools teaching real students.



My first week was a bit of a challenge, at the risk of sounding think I just didn't get it, at all. After being sent off to prepare fir the first lesson I had a bit of a moment and seriously did consider if this was what I really wanted to do. I had problems assimilating the model and then applying it into creating a real lesson. I have to congratulate Pete, the head trainer and Judy, the assistant. They were incredibly patient and supportive and I got to the first teaching assessment with a cogent plan which I sort of understood. The requirement is to pass six of the eight 50 minute teaching practices. After a night of little sleep I got to the first lesson, delivered it and really enjoyed it. I was as nervous as a nervous thing but I had as much fun as the kids. And it got better.... Again, not without it's challenges. I can't remember how many times I came out of Pete's office having had a bit of coaching only to be back there 10 minutes later with a 'sorry, I still don't get it' . As the door opened for the third or fourth time, I'm sure Pete was thinking, oh fuck, he's back again. But it didn't show and eventually the model was pretty much engrained in my rather thick skull. Which is good. As I started it was probably taking me around five hours to prepare and plan for a 50 minute lesson. Thick as I may be it didn't take that long to work out that this type of planning to delivery ration did not stack up. Fortunately I drove bat down somewhat.


The great news for me is that I came out with 8 passes in the teaching assessments and a pass in the exam.

My marks were:
2.25
1.75
2.0
2.0
1.5
1.5
1.0
1.25

I was well pleased, especially with the 1.0 mark. The required mark in the exam was 70% and I logged an 88% not the best mark, but achieved my objective. I really fucked up on the Phonetics and the sentence structure but I know where I went wrong and the I-Pad apps available that cover the subjects are now all safely installed on my I-Pad.



I'm now an ESL English teacher. yippee indeed

My fellow students were a great bunch. A wide range of ages from 21 to 62. I wasn't even the oldest. There were good dynamics, the normal dramas as we went through the Norming-Forming-Storming-Performing process. It would have made a very interesting 'fly on the wall' documentary. I'm pretty sure of that.



I have claimed the award for first sale. I managed to do a deal with an Ethiopian at the bar we went to for the end of course celebrations. 6 hours 1-1 English tuition at 150bht an hour. You can take the boy out of sales but can't take sales out of the boy.....

A new chapter and an exciting one at that......

Location:Suthep 5,Mueang Chiang Mai,Thailand

A bit of R and R

My first week Chiang Mai was relaxing. Lots of reading (for pleasure and swotting on my English grammar as well as a bit of sight seeing. The weather was a bit dodgy, in fact for more than three days I never ventured out, such was the rain.







The morning was fine. I had breakfast of fresh fruit I the guest house then walked into town stopping off at various 'Wats' to take pictures. I had been given a map of the city on arrival and had a rough idea of my bearings. I headed towards the Thae Pae Gate. I thought it would be interesting to find the night bazaar Market near where I stayed in September. Chiang Mai is quite sprawling but the main commercial areas are quite close together. In no time I was walking down 'walking street' This is when the rain started and it didn't stop. I took shelter then made my way back towards the guest house, stopping off the the obligatory 'Chang's on the way. I actually sat there in this little restaurant for a couple of hours, watching the world go by. I'd not seen again like this since Borneo and it didn't look like it was going to stop any time soon.







Around me the night markets traders were beginning to set up.it's really amazing what you can do with a sheet of polythene and a few bulldog clips. After another beer and some delicious chicken fried rice I made my move. Not wanting to shell out on a cab or tuktuk, I headed back to the guest house. One hour late, much to the amusement of the lady on the desk I arrived back looking like a drowned rat. At least it was warm rain!

Over the next three days the rain just did not stop. I never even got time to try out the swimming pool!







Sk2 great place. So friendly although after a few days cooked up was hoping for the rain to stop.





Great food though . The massaman curry was just delicious.



After fours days the guesthouse was 'besieged' by English 'gap year girls. Loud, excitable sharing stories about how many men they had shagged and how many buckets they had drunk at the Koh Phangan Full Moon party.


When the weather had finally brightened up I was able to walk into town and look around for my 'school uniform' the dress code for the classes was 'smart casual' but the expectation for teaching, quite rightly was smart. I found what could only be described as the Thai equivalent of 'T K Max' and searched around for their bargains. I ended up with three short sleeved 'work shirts', a pair of black trousers, some socks and a nice pair of black leather loafers, all for just over £30.



The walk down to the market was a little under an hour but the sun was shining and it was quite humid. By the time I got to the shop I was sweating like a bacon pig. To make matters worse the shop (being 'budget') did not have any aircon. The sales assistant thought it highly amusing. An Englishman looking for cheap clothes while leaving a dripping mess and soaking wet through. As I made my way back to the guesthouse I was feeing very dehydrated. Beer o'clock?








I stopped off for a large Chang. Ice cold, went down a dream. I realise now that is more than a little unwise. Even before I had finished it I was feeling the effects. Being both overheated and dehydrated then pouring 660ml of freezing cold beer down you neck is not good.







I spent the next two days unable to leave my room with a terrible upset stomach. Every day a school day.





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Location:Chiang Mai, Thailand

Time to move on

On the 29th of June I moved close to where I would be studying. The Sa nguan Malee Mansions were a little bit out of town, not far from the airport and just across the road from Chiang Mai university. It was cheap and the training course was going to be held in the building so it was very convenient. I had booked a deluxe room. At just 600bht for the month this was very reasonable. It was a 6 floor building and my room was on the 5th floor overlooking the jungle and hills surrounding the city.

The only disadvantage was that building was being erected next door. No complaints though. The room was OK. Had a small balcony, a TV and Air Con. Wireless was available in the lobby but only wired Internet in the room. Shit, I knew I should have brought my net book! The price of the room did not include electricity, the weather closer to the hills was a tad cooler so I made a decision that I would be conservative with the Aircon. My little savings plan for OZ.

I got my bearings pretty quickly. A short walk and there were shops and restaurants. The now ubiquitous 7-11 was also not far away. I found a nice little grill bar and for the first couple of nights had dinner there then spend the rest of the rime relaxing and reading. It was nice with the patio door open at night, laid or sitting reading and listening to the sounds of the jungle outside.

July the 4th would be soon here and I had a feeling that it was going to be hard work...


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Location:Suthep 5,Mueang Chiang Mai,Thailand