some nuggets about teaching:
- i say "soooo" about 43 times in a class. just like i laugh over french people saying "bon" or "doncuhhhhh" as fillers, my students pointed out how i say sooooo whenever filling a silence or connecting thoughts. but being able to stall naturally in a language goes a long way towards sounding like you know what you're saying when really you're racking your brain for a word.
- i say "what else?" about 26 times in a class. even i'm getting tired of hearing myself say that, so i'm thinking about asking them to please expound upon that point just to add some variety.
- some of my best classes are when i completely abandon the lesson plan and just let the lesson flow from the conversation. of course, if i were ever to come in not prepared with a lesson plan, they would be dead silent. so i come in prepared, but willing to drop the lesson if a really good conversation is sparked.
- i hate chalk. it makes my hands itch. it makes horrible squeaking noises. it makes me sneeze. it shatters into a million pieces when i drop it. i hate chalk.
- i will not give students good marks just because they told me i look like angelina jolie. but it definitely doesn't hurt either.
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