The last week of term can be a strange one. At my school, the students had done revision for the end of term exams, the exams themselves, and we'd talked about the answers and results. Yet there were one or two lessons (depending on the group) before the end of term. Starting a new unit of the textbook we follow didn't feel like the right approach, especially since the students (and the teacher!) were effectively in holiday mode.
With one of my adult C1 CAE groups, I'd planned to play a game in their last lesson. It's a favourite of mine, and probably warrants a post of its own. The only snag is that is needs 5 players. I can be one of them if necessary, but with 3 of my 11 registered students turning up I was caught out.
We chatted for 10 minutes with me hoping a straggler would save my day, but it wasn't to be. I ran to the staff room to try to find something, but was struggling. I decided to take something from another book about some grammar we'd be seeing soon to act as a head start.
As a returned from a hurried trip to the photocopier, one of my students said they had been talking together and asked if we could skip doing a 'proper lesson' and go out for a coffee and chat instead.
Naturally I jumped at the chance. It was a beautiful evening, the lesson wasn't going to plan and I rarely say no to a caffeine boost.
As we sat down together, the effect of being outside the classroom was immediately obvious. Rather than being 'teacher' or 'student', we were just four people chatting in English. We got to know each other better and the situation felt natural. Rather than asking a question because it fitted a particular grammar point or part of a Cambridge exam, they asked because they wanted to know the answer. Living in Spain, that's probably a rare situation for my students.
Of course, I wasn't off duty, helping the students with words they didn't know when asked, but little more.
Had we just chatted in class, I don't imagine the effect would've been the same. Sipping a coffee fills silences naturally and having me without a whiteboard and pen takes away the temptation to interrupt the flow and teach. Similarly, when I'm in my chair and they are in theirs we naturally assume our quite specific roles. The short answers that are so beloved of some students didn't raise their heads.
At the end, they asked me if we could do the same regularly, maybe once a month. I'm not sure if we will (would the whole class want it? Would it work so well? Would be DoS approve?), but I'm considering it.
My message - your classroom dynamic is definitely affected by you being in a classroom. Could a trip for coffee, an ice cream or a beer create a useful and memorable experience for you and your students?
With one of my adult C1 CAE groups, I'd planned to play a game in their last lesson. It's a favourite of mine, and probably warrants a post of its own. The only snag is that is needs 5 players. I can be one of them if necessary, but with 3 of my 11 registered students turning up I was caught out.
We chatted for 10 minutes with me hoping a straggler would save my day, but it wasn't to be. I ran to the staff room to try to find something, but was struggling. I decided to take something from another book about some grammar we'd be seeing soon to act as a head start.
As a returned from a hurried trip to the photocopier, one of my students said they had been talking together and asked if we could skip doing a 'proper lesson' and go out for a coffee and chat instead.
Naturally I jumped at the chance. It was a beautiful evening, the lesson wasn't going to plan and I rarely say no to a caffeine boost.
As we sat down together, the effect of being outside the classroom was immediately obvious. Rather than being 'teacher' or 'student', we were just four people chatting in English. We got to know each other better and the situation felt natural. Rather than asking a question because it fitted a particular grammar point or part of a Cambridge exam, they asked because they wanted to know the answer. Living in Spain, that's probably a rare situation for my students.
Of course, I wasn't off duty, helping the students with words they didn't know when asked, but little more.
Had we just chatted in class, I don't imagine the effect would've been the same. Sipping a coffee fills silences naturally and having me without a whiteboard and pen takes away the temptation to interrupt the flow and teach. Similarly, when I'm in my chair and they are in theirs we naturally assume our quite specific roles. The short answers that are so beloved of some students didn't raise their heads.
At the end, they asked me if we could do the same regularly, maybe once a month. I'm not sure if we will (would the whole class want it? Would it work so well? Would be DoS approve?), but I'm considering it.
My message - your classroom dynamic is definitely affected by you being in a classroom. Could a trip for coffee, an ice cream or a beer create a useful and memorable experience for you and your students?
I love getting out of the class with students. My two most memorable times were going out for coffee http://eslcarissa.blogspot.com/2013/06/coffee-and-dress-codes.html and doing a project in small groups outside: http://eslcarissa.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-importance-of-relaxing-with-students.html
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