A Bigg Intimidation

[tomcat]

^Well, it's the beginning of one, anyway.....sounds like you're on the right track.

[anon]

IMO part of the reason matthew is going to develop as an english teacher is his sincere desire to do so.

btw, lex luther....let's see that photo of the new haircut.

[re_fuse]

Yeah show us ya bald patch

[Matthew]

Sorry to disappoint all of those wanted to see a bald Matthew. I went to the barber and...I chickened out. Just got the usual clean up jobbie. Nothing special. Every time they do something funny in the back as well. But I can't see it, no bother.

Anyway, today's ABA class went relatively well. They came back. In fact, four more strong. Which is not great, actually, because it essentially turns a 'small' 10 student class into a 'large' fourteen student one. At least it feels that way.

His Royal Biggsness was again next door, and his rollicking roadshow showed no signs of abating. I was proud, at least, of the fact that my class had a few short outbursts of group laughter to rival his. Each time it happened I thought "take that, Biggsy!". A minute later, however, from the great beyond the partition, would come a rumbling and a climax that would make any teacher swoon.

I'm dramatizing here, of course. To even suggest I'm in competetion with Andrew Biggs and his next door class is ridiculous. To suggest I'm actually preoccupied with this in real life is overstatement. It only makes a decent theme for a thread. But honestly though, I did have my moments today when it did make me a bit self-conscious and wonder to myself whether a change of rooms might be possible. The real reason would be to get in a bigger room for what is now a bigger class, but let's just pretend I've found myself in the blastzone of Biggs' explosive teaching power.

I'm just Matthew, a damn newbie, by god! Have mercy.

I'll be an ex-Matthew soon enough, at this rate.

The main challenge at ABA, for me, is switching gears from teaching large classes of kids with textbooks and with a desk to retreat behind, to a bookless, deskless environment teaching adults who are eager to speak and are really expecting something special from this high-profile provider. There's just a whole different rhythm to it.

Actually, when you work it out on paper, I have to arrive rather early and leave late, so in real time spent I'm making peanuts, utter peanuts. But it's my first language school experience, and it's a unique place. The system is really kind of neat-o. Classes, or "episodes" are broken down into a few regular procedures, with a few main activities as the meat of it. There's a huge wall full of drawers with numbered activities with instructions (sorted according to class level, adults, kids, business etc.) and all the props and things in there as well (there are lots). You do that stuff, along with some pronunciation work and short student presentations that you've told them to think about the week before. Anyway, like I said, it's neat. So while I'm not really giving my bank account that much of a shot, it's kind of a fun way to spend Sunday afternoons. A lot of these activity ideas I can borrow for my prathom kids, etc. (I never feel like I know any).

Anyway, there's an update.
Sorry, again about the haircut. I know you're devastated.

[LoveBucket]

your loss :smile:

[Matthew]

someday.

[LoveBucket]

although i can see why it wouldn't be a good idea to have mr bigg think you were taking the piss (p.iss )

[Matthew]

He may have wondered.

[the antithesis]

His Royal Biggsness was again next door, and his rollicking roadshow showed no signs of abating. I was proud, at least, of the fact that my class had a few short outbursts of group laughter to rival his. Each time it happened I thought "take that, Biggsy!"... I'm dramatizing here, of course.

Dramatizing would be ' Cop that you bald headed f.uck, that's one for me and the forum' while banging on the partition...where's the passion?

To even suggest I'm in competetion with Andrew Biggs and his next door class is ridiculous. But honestly though, I did have my moments today when it did make me a bit self-conscious...

We all love the underdog, especially when he overcomes his self-consciousness and serves it up to the champ, one for the slum (ajarn forum)...you're in the ring with that chump and it's on. If not for yourself, for the forum (the slum)

it's kind of a fun way to spend Sunday afternoons.

Forget fun. Focus man. Kick his arse. Search for inspiration: The Karate Kid. Sea Biscuit. " It's a long way to the top..." Runs to Victory Monument, high on the very fumes that have elevated the Big Bald One. Now down and give us 10.

[Matthew]

Damn man. I was gettin' soft! Thanks, you right man I oughta go in there swingin' and my first hit I'm gonna tell 'im "this one's fo' anti!" and then "this one's fo' da bucket!" you about to kick it and then it'll be "this one's fo' refuse" and you can't refuse my beat down baby. Giants will fall. Look for the whole channel three building to shake.

[the antithesis]

and you be smokin' his books and dem be burnin' bubba...

[Matthew]

It's on.

[the antithesis]

Nice session. OK, hit the showers. Remember: "women weaken legs!" (Mikey, Rocky 1).

[Matthew]

IMO part of the reason matthew is going to develop as an english teacher is his sincere desire to do so.

Ray, I appreciate that comment. :chug:

[jonny danger]

Maybe some great teachers are born that way, but others can make themselves into good teachers with effort and experience. I guess it's like footballers, some are born naturals like Beckham and Henry, others make it with great effort like Keane and Shearer.

As for Andrew Biggs, fair play to him for his success but let's be honest, if he didn't speak Thai so much would he really be a hit?

JMHO

Saying something like "great teachers are born, not made" can be taken two ways: 1) that some people are destined to become teachers and do, like our Mr. J Danger. The rest of us should question whether we are of that select few or not, and reconsider our careers 2) that some have more innate capacity for teaching than others, and will find it much easier to develop into a great one than the rest, putting in the same amount of work.

In a way, JD contradicts the first connotation of the phrase when he says "both my parents were teachers". They then made him a teacher-type by instilling in him certain values and modelling certain behavior. If his mother had birthed and then abandoned him, would she have already embedded these qualities into his person?

Maybe some great teachers are born that way, but others can make themselves into good teachers with effort and experience. I guess it's like footballers, some are born naturals like Beckham and Henry, others make it with great effort like Keane and Shearer.

Being born is only an expression. Nobody is born to be anything but a suckling infant.

The rest of us should question whether we are of that select few or not, and reconsider our careers 2) that some have more innate capacity for teaching than others, and will find it much easier to develop into a great one than the rest, putting in the same amount of work.

Nothing innate about it. It's all in one's acculturation. But when your parents were something/anything there certainly is a tendency to be subject to modeling and follow them round like a duckling.

In a way, JD contradicts the first connotation of the phrase when he says "both my parents were teachers". They then made him a teacher-type by instilling in him certain values and modelling certain behavior. If his mother had birthed and then abandoned him, would she have already embedded these qualities into his person?

They didn't make me a teacher, they made it easy.

If his mother had birthed and then abandoned him, would she have already embedded these qualities into his person?

That's the nature/nature argument. Not enough pages here on ajarn to cover that one.

All I'm saying is that just like any other ability in life, to some it has to be taught while others seem natural with it. I like to use drummers as an example: Meter is an ability all drummers have to have. If you don't have a sense of rhythm dancing and drumming will be an up-hill battle. Just as you mentioned with Beckham and Henry.