A number of years ago I was working in small supermarket in my hometown. You know the kind of place, kids buying sweets after school, mums who forgot something at the supermarket, all very standard for a small community really. The thing was that the job was boring. Unbelievably, mind-numbingly boring. As there were very few people around, there was no rush on anything and I would busy myself with cleaning or whatever else.
Most of my friends at the time, also college students, had similar stories. They were lifeguards, or bar workers, and all agreed that they found their jobs very dull. So we would all get together, have a good moan, and then get on with it.
Nowadays, with a job as an EFL teacher that I love and colleagues that I get on well with, the monotony of shop work is a distant memory. Doing a CELTA and becoming a teacher is one of the most inspiring professions, and every teacher will confirm this without hesitating.
Watching your students make progress and grow into wonderful young people is something words can’t describe. As a teacher, you often go out of your way to make your classroom a happy and a safe place for your students; you share their successes, their challenges, their first loves…
A dedicated teacher can play a significant role in a student’s life and influence them a great measure, and you do this while being well-aware of the fact. That’s why you try to teach them how to be good people too, and not just how to speak English.
That is not, however, to say that I don’t have to deal with frustrations sometimes. My fellow teachers and I still get together occasionally to offload about the difficulties of teaching, and it’s still very therapeutic. Nowadays though, it’s also very helpful. We can help each other deal with whatever issues arise, and hopefully make them all go away!
Generally, my various headaches all hit me at the beginning of the academic year. This is the time when mistakes are most likely to be made, when good practice tends to fall a little by the wayside, and important things slip through the cracks of enrolment chaos.
So how do I deal with these hiccups? How do I avoid crying into my cornflakes when the going gets tough? Read on for my solutions to some of the common frustrations of teaching.
Frustration 1: Students arriving late
Frustration 2: Phones in class
Frustration 3: Students speaking in L1
Frustration 4: The dreaded silence
Frustration 5: Mixed-ability groups
Frustration 6: Being observed
Frustration 7: Awkward questions from students
Frustration 8: Misbehaving students
Frustration 9: Sometimes, your students will need a friend more than a teacher
Frustration 10: Dealing with a challenging parent
Frustration 11: When leaving work doesn’t really mean you’re leaving work…
