pirates

One of the hardest things about being a young and fairly new English as a foreign language teacher is teaching peers and adults who are actually smarter, more knowledgeable, and wiser than you. While planning lessons, you think in your head, “This is going to be too easy for them; they will think this is stupid”. With kids, it’s easy. Learning vocabulary and grammar is just a matter of being creative, thinking on your toes, and getting the kids involved.

Trying to expand our vocabulary, my fourth graders were talking about shopping. Asking each other questions like: Where do you go shopping? How often do you go shopping? What is your favorite shop? What do you usually buy?

A typical answer: I usually buy a t-shirt (good start), a shoes (nails on chalkboard feeling), and a trousers (train wreck).

Next step: explain that shoes, trousers, and glasses are pairs, are twos, are plurals, so we NEVER put “a” in front. Teacher laughs, and points out that no shop is ever going to sell one paint leg, or half a pair of glasses, or one shoe.

But welcome fourth grade philosopher, an ornery little fella, who questions just about everything and comes up with his own ideas: “And when you want to wear two different shoes? Or two different socks (as is the style)? And what about one-legged men? And pirates? What about pirates?”

So we ended the class practically on the floor laughing, talking about one-legged, one-armed, one-eyed pirates. And the possibility of opening a One Shoe Shop. We’d make a killing.

And these are learning moments, and the learning becomes fun.

It’s like Mary Poppins says:

In ev’ry job that must be done, There is an element of fun.

You find the fun and snap!

The job’s a game.

And ev’ry task you undertake, becomes a piece of cake!

It’s like I’ve said before, children have something important to say. We’ve got to listen.

Teaching language is about sharing, opening up new worlds of communication. Sometimes you feel ridiculous and awkward, and clumsy, and shy and nervous, and lacking words. But there is always room for growth. And you always find more in common than you ever find different.

So let’s take some other lessons from pirates:

Sail the wide open sea.

Be intentional, and steer your ship to places you want to go.

But when the wind takes you elsewhere, don’t be afraid to adventure.

Take along a strong and diverse crew.

Just don’t let yourself get fed to the crocodiles, even Hook didn’t want that.

(image via lovebroadway)