1 00:00:09,140 --> 00:00:17,739 So, first of all, not only do we welcome you, but the moment you get to school, you will realise that everybody there is really pleased to see you. 2 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:23,820 You're going to be working with great professionals who really appreciate the hard work that you put in, 3 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:30,339 the ideas that you will come up with, the way you deliver and certainly plan your classes and then deliver them. 4 00:00:30,879 --> 00:00:34,700 And of course, the kids are just going to be so excited to see you. They really are. 5 00:00:34,700 --> 00:00:39,679 When they see a new face, especially the younger ones, it gets quite overwhelming, 6 00:00:39,679 --> 00:00:43,539 especially come from the system that I know is the English system, 7 00:00:43,700 --> 00:00:47,759 where we're not really allowed to touch kids and we're not allowed to be with them here. 8 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,479 They're going to be all over you, climbing onto you, holding onto you. 9 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:54,140 So do not be overwhelmed by this. It's just a natural thing in Spain. 10 00:00:55,140 --> 00:00:58,259 So you will be going to your school. 11 00:00:59,060 --> 00:01:03,119 Your responsibilities within the team that you're going to be working with 12 00:01:03,119 --> 00:01:09,599 will be to plan and deliver as many occasions, as many opportunities to all these kids 13 00:01:09,599 --> 00:01:13,319 to be able to speak in English and to help them with their conversation. 14 00:01:14,459 --> 00:01:16,640 This you'll be able to do through many different ways 15 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:22,239 and you will be forming a rapport with them through this whole year and with your teachers. 16 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:28,079 So communication, trust, self-confidence are all important. 17 00:01:28,599 --> 00:01:32,140 Of course this is not always very easy, well easier said than done, no? 18 00:01:32,140 --> 00:02:01,700 So for communication, you will find your teachers, the ones that you're working with, are always open to talk to you, to help you if you need help, which you probably will at the beginning, let's face it, it's not easy for everybody to walk into a class and start an activity, carry on with it, close the class, finish, evaluate and come out of there feeling that's great because I've taught something, they've learnt something, I've learnt something. 19 00:02:02,140 --> 00:02:08,060 So, first of all, you'll have open doors with your coordinators, with the teachers, they're all there to help you. 20 00:02:09,180 --> 00:02:13,939 Secondly, walking into that classroom, as I say, well, if they're young, they're going to be very, very excited. 21 00:02:14,759 --> 00:02:21,960 The first class you go into, it's going to set the tone for the whole year, so please think very carefully and plan for that first class. 22 00:02:23,219 --> 00:02:25,039 They're going to ask you a lot of questions. 23 00:02:25,319 --> 00:02:29,500 They're very interested in who you are, where you come from, what you do, what you want to do. 24 00:02:29,500 --> 00:02:54,300 And it's wonderful that you do actually share that information with them, but please, please mark boundaries. It is really not appropriate for them ever to know about the weekend you've just had in Malaga, or what you did last night, or they must never have access to your emails, or to your Facebook. Please keep all that private to yourself. So mark a boundary there. 25 00:02:54,300 --> 00:03:04,759 Think about the pace. Think about if they structure your class properly, do a warm-up. 26 00:03:04,759 --> 00:03:12,759 Then do the subject, give them enough conversation, opportunities on whatever it is you're talking about at that moment, 27 00:03:12,759 --> 00:03:18,759 whether it be English, whether it be science, whether it be art, sports, and then close the class. 28 00:03:18,759 --> 00:03:23,759 Bring it down and then tell them what they may be doing in the next class. 29 00:03:23,759 --> 00:03:28,759 Get them really interested and motivated. They want to, they really do. They love that stuff. 30 00:03:28,759 --> 00:03:33,759 Of course, that's in the classroom. What about outside the classroom? 31 00:03:33,759 --> 00:03:38,759 Outside the classroom you're going to be, as I've said before, with a fantastic team of professionals. 32 00:03:38,759 --> 00:03:43,759 They're all interested in you as well. Any problems that you have, go and see them. They will help you. 33 00:03:43,759 --> 00:03:50,759 And then please take part in all the activities that schools arrange because they're lots of fun. 34 00:03:50,759 --> 00:04:08,759 You will have meetings with your teachers but really basically this is an amazing opportunity for you to develop skills, to decide whether you want to go down a teaching route and also to actually see how another educational system works. 35 00:04:08,759 --> 00:04:18,290 Take advantage of this amazing opportunity. I know for some of you it may be the first 36 00:04:18,290 --> 00:04:23,670 time that you have come to Spain. It may be the first time you're even living away from 37 00:04:23,670 --> 00:04:32,310 home and it can be a real struggle. I would recommend that even though it's very difficult, 38 00:04:32,310 --> 00:04:36,529 obviously when you're feeling homesick, and it does happen to us, of course you go and 39 00:04:36,529 --> 00:04:42,129 talk to other language assistants, you're not learning Spanish, you're not out there. 40 00:04:42,129 --> 00:04:46,810 You need to really make that effort. It's very, very difficult. I appreciate it. I know 41 00:04:46,810 --> 00:04:47,310 that.