I had a privilege to teach the Conversation 1 class and the Elementary 3 class this past term in LIA. Basically, these classes would arrive at two different destinations - different goals to achieve at the end of the term. And to make sure they reach to their destination, I had devoted some of my times examining, planning, and rehearsing on the roads we would take during the term.
I am so thankful I did!
As in our journey to a place, finding unexpected things are normal. So does in the classroom, during the lesson. Some unexpected things occurred. There were several, although not many, activities carefully added into my lesson plan, but they did not fit well to my students. Once I wanted to review the vocabulary of daily routines so I had students stick the sticky paper on the back. The noun should go with the appropriate verb as you can see on this video. I adapted one of the review activities I found on youtube. It is called the 'Kick Me' activity.
This is an interactive type of activity. So if you have already seen the video through the link I provided here, that is how I pictured my students' involvement during the activity. But it turned out that my students only looked at each others' back and tried to put their pair together. Surprisingly, the moved but no talking! No questions were asked for clarification or discussion to their friends! - Well - It was simply a 'silent walking' if I may say.
Thank God I had planned my lesson well! I had a relieved-smile.
It was, again, time to be flexible. To take another road.
The road was fine. It was just not the right one. And by planning and examining ahead, I could use the possibilities of roads to take. I could detour - taking different road without changing our destination. I could definitely do that not without careful planning at first.
I should also know where to go after taking different road, right?
Sometimes the road was busy. Deserted. Somehow it was quiet.
But I have responsible to take my students safe to their destination - to achieve the lesson objective. I had a necessary tool - a map! However, I should not be taking them while looking at the map. Getting lost and suddenly become a bunch of tourists in the middle of nowhere trying to figure which road to take next.
I have learned my lesson! Next term, I surely equip myself with a Golden Compass!
