My current position in my job allows me to stay out of the classroom for the most part. I still teach a few regular private lessons for our clients, but most of the time I pass on classroom teaching gigs.
One of the reasons is that teaching to our clients can require us/me to travel all over the city. Riding the trains more than necessary is not on the top of my list of things to do. The requirement of being amidst people – especially those whom I don’t know – for an hour or more makes me even more tired than the act of teaching itself.
So, it has been a while since I have taught a full class.
When you don’t regularly practice a skill like using a language, or like teaching, it can be worrisome when forced to use it again. This weekend is an example of this for me.
However, I have happily found that it is somewhat like riding a bike and my years of training along with the natural instincts that drew me to the profession in the first place have kicked back into gear.
Still, like most things in my life, I have to admit that I don’t necessarily like to do the things that come easy to me. It’s true; I generally prefer challenges. So, while it is a relief to find that I’ve still got my teaching skillz, it doesn’t mean that I like it any more than before.
Therefore, I mostly have a renewed appreciation for my work out of the classroom than in it thanks to this weekend of teaching. π
~T π
