I have now been teaching in Kutaisi, for two weeks, and in this short time I have learned a very simple lesson: 'expect the unexpected'. A trite cliché perhaps, but its one that I think will serve you well in Georgia. In fact, in Georgia it might be more apt to say or, expect nothing. No matter what anyone tells you, don't have any expectations that anything will or won't happen, or if it does happen that it will turn out the way you thought it would. This conclusion, reached after such a short stay, might seem wholly negative. But I don't mean it to be, I have really enjoyed my time teaching here so far, and I think you will too. Its just that, if you keep this old saying in mind, then events might take you a little less by surprise.
To give you some idea of why you need to think this way, let me describe a couple of my first days as an English teacher. Now, I arrived in Kutaisi on Wednesday, and started teaching on Thursday. There was no introduction day, no lesson planning, and no meeting with my co-teacher. Just my Georgian co-worker and I standing in front of a class of Georgian kids, whose language I only know a few words in, and who really didn't speak any English. There was no lesson plan, so, we started a lesson on 'things to visit around town' and my co-teacher wrote things on the board like 'museum' and the children translated them into Georgian. I won't lie to you, I had no idea what my role was in this class. So, I just started talking to the students, in English, using the words on the board, this seemed to go down well, I enjoyed it, the kids seemed to enjoy it, so I went to my next lesson a bit more confident.
In the next lesson, I arrived in a class of twenty or so, my co-teacher turned to me, tells me she has no lesson plan, so I will have to make one up and teach the lesson, then sits down and leaves me to it. So, after never being a teacher before, I have to make up a lesson plan on the spot....erm.....So we talk about 'places we've visited or would like to visit'. This turns out to be the worst possible idea for a lesson, as none
of the students have ever left Georgia, and the places they want to visit are not Paris, or Berlin, or New York, but little villages down the road, or a nice river they wanted to see. Not really my plan; and it turned out to be an awkward hour of difficult conversations that left my vowing to be more organized next time.
Ok, so this might not be your experience, but I teach in two schools, one in the day and one in the evening. So, on day two I needed to go teach my evening class. Only, I have no map of the city, no idea where the school is, and no one has thought to give me this information. Luckily I live near an American, who happened to know where the school was, what time my lesson was, and have a map. Otherwise, I'd have missed the lesson, as indeed one of my workmates did. This is simply the organization norm in Georgia, so you should definitely get used to it. When I attend the evening lesson, the co-teacher taught in fast Georgian, wouldn't translate it, and wouldn't include me in the lesson. Basically, I sit and do nothing.
I give you these three examples, not to complain, I really do enjoy the madness, its refreshing, challenging, unencumbered. The students have been really friendly, interested in who I am and welcoming to a point that is almost overwhelming at times. But as you walk into the classroom, you should simply expect nothing. Maybe you'll do nothing, maybe you'll be making up and
teaching a lesson, maybe there will be text books, maybe not, perhaps your students will have pencils and paper, probably at least a fair few of them will not. Maybe there will be no class today and no one told you, maybe there will be extra classes and no one told you. Possibly the students will be working through a syllabus, or just meandering through lessons haphazardly, maybe they won't be even able to say 'hello' in English, or perhaps you'll be able to chat to them about Descartes.
In fact, the only thing you can really expect in Georgia is an overwhelmingly generous and touching welcome. As for the rest, well, I advise that you leave your expectations at the airport!
Footprints’ Teacher in Georgia
Matthew Palmer
| Next > |
|---|
