Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years:
- Don’t make fun of strange students – a colleague had an experience where a young guy came into his lesson late wearing a crash helmet. He sat at the back and banged his head against the wall repeatedly. Others in the class whispered that he should ignore him. He followed their advice.
- Go easy on dry, understated, ‘English’ humour – students have a nasty habit of taking you seriously when you mean to be ironic. I once told a class that they would have to come to extra classes during the Christmas break and I still remember the look of panic on some of the faces.
- Just because an activity works for one group, don’t make the mistake of assuming it will work for every group.
- Don’t assume macho guys have a sensitive side.
- Don’t assume dumb-looking blondes have a serious side.
- Don’t wear a heavy shirt in summer – profuse sweating can be seriously embarrassing.
- Don’t persevere with an activity when it is clearly not working
- Don’t show you’re flexible and kind-hearted in the first lesson – better to start strict and then lighten up if/when it feels safe to do so.
- Don’t treat students like empty vessels to be filled. If you respect them , they’ll respect you. (At least that’s the theory!)
- Don’t start a class without a standby activity – a contingency plan will save your bacon one day
