Why Teaching is Inextricable from Learning, and Why the English Language is so Weird

#12. Teach Someone Something

Done!

When I added this to my list, I did not intend it to be quite so literal. Can a complete lack of irony in itself be ironic? Anyway, I taught an ESL (English as a second language) class.

I should specify that "class" is a very generous term. It was only three students. And I was only filling in for a former co-worker, for three classes total. They were adult Korean students, and their level of English was quite good. What the class was mostly intended to teach them was different English idioms, more complicated grammar, uncommon vocabulary terms, etc.

Honestly I expected myself to get frustrated. I think I hide it pretty well but those that know me know that I can be extremely limited in the patience department at times. But as my students struggled to articulate questions to me- which sometimes I couldn't answer and sometimes I simply couldn't understand the question correctly- I found myself attentive, relaxed, interested in what they had to say. It was truly a pleasure. I felt the mutual respect between two intelligent adults who simply didn't speak the same language and were trying to understand one another.

In addition to the teaching I also loved viewing the English language from a new perspective. When you are fluent in a language you absolutely take it for granted. But there are so many intricacies to English and so many things that- in my limited experience with other languages- make it unique.

By far my favorite day was idiom day. We went over different idioms related to sickness. Would you ever consider "feeling miserable" an idiom? No, its just something we say. But if you consider it literally it doesn't quite mean what we use it to mean. Or how would you explain the phrase "sick as a dog" to someone who never heard it before? It has nothing to do with dogs, and it means very sick, but it has almost a humorous element to it- you wouldn't say someone with cancer was "sick as a dog," for example. It is more appropriate for food poisoning, or hangovers.

It was really fascinating to me. Also a common caveat for teachers is that people who are "good" at something are not always the best at teaching it. I can see how this would be true. It is difficult for me to articulate grammar rules, for example, because I always go by what "sounds right" to me, and it usually works out okay. But to a non-native English speaker, nothing "sounds right"- it is all new and odd sounding and difficult. But I think my interest and passion for the subject in this case offset this problem. I was kind of learning along with them, and that was what made it such a great experience.

Many of you may know that before I got my new job (list item #1!) I seriously considered going back to school to become a college professor. While that plan is on hold for the time being, I think this experience validated it in some small way. I could see myself really getting fulfillment out of teaching.

Granted, of course, that I am blessed with students so willing to learn. Which I realize is a lot to ask.