Half way point reflections

This blog is to not only reflect, but also express my thoughts and experiences so far in the program. Right off the bat, I want to say the information and methods that are being presented are incredibly interesting, foreseeably useful, enjoyable, and most certainly a challenge. The program has taught me a great deal about creating a communicative classroom that is centered around the student, and promotes interactive learning that is not only efficient, but also theoretically more effective. Language learning is arguably one of the toughest skills to learn, but when presented through these modern practices (one's to which I have never learned under) it seems as if language would come naturally without all the struggle of rote memorization, as I experienced. Which is a very exciting prospect!

However, I want to bring my attention to a different matter entirely, which is teaching as a practice. I came into the TEFL program to learn exactly that - "teaching english as a foreign language." In our time so far, I have learned a great deal about alternative teaching strategies that can be applied in the classroom to promote a stronger learning experience, which is great for our friends from SEP who have been in the profession for some years now. Meanwhile, as a student, I have not learned how to be an English teacher yet, therefore how can I apply alternative teaching styles? I understand this comes with experience, but it has also caused some confusion. As I wrote my first lesson plan, awaiting feedback on how to improve, and reading comments about parts I can adjust. I was left wondering; 'Where and how do I even start teaching?' 'How do I create interactive lessons for an imagined classroom?' 'Who are these students?' 'What does their classrooms look like, and how do I formulate age/skill appropriate exercises?' Most importantly, 'How do I teach them English, without knowing it myself?' Some of these concerns seem obvious, but for someone who has limited exposure it is hard to envision. For instance, on the one hand, our program focuses on student-centered approaches rather than teacher-centered ones, which is great for someone who already has prior knowledge on the inner-workings of the classroom. Meanwhile, on the other hand, considering a teacher-centered approach is the foundational method, I feel, as a new teacher it might be important to first and foremost learn how to be a pragmatic teacher - someone who understands the basic "in's and out's" of the classroom. Then afterward start applying more complex methodologies. This has all left me a bit uncertain, but it could change over the next 2 weeks.

Week 3 is our practicum, and I am looking forward to some 'real-world' application. I am sorry if this reflection leans more negatively, but it want to provide some feedback.