Doing the intensive course

I think that everyone on the course is finding it hard work. We’re all tired, most of us have been ill, and everybody’s finding that lesson planning takes a very long time. It’s kind of nice to know that it does affect everybody in the same way - that it’s not just me stressing all night about practice tasks, working almost every spare moment and still feeling that things aren’t done to the standard I’d like, and sometimes being rude to family and close friends who happen to be nearby when things get difficult…

But I think we’re generally enjoying it too (or at least will in retrospect!) and one of the nicest things is the group feel. We all help each other out, be it with tape recordings, lesson ideas, providing teabags, or explaining the structure of the past continuous passive. We get a lot of help from our tutors, too, who are very keen for us all to do well.

On the whole, I’m definitely glad that I chose to do an intensive course. It’s pretty hard work for these four weeks - but it’s only four weeks, and at the end of them we’ll have a qualification we can use. Apparently people doing the part time course, with jobs to do as well, find it equally stressful - but in their case the stress lasts four months. Poor part-timers! I know it depends on your situation, and a lot of people simply wouldn’t be able to do the intensive TESOL course. But I’d recommend it to anyone who had the time/money/resources. Just warn all your friends and relatives in advance that you may be somewhat preoccupied for the next month or so…

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 13th, 2007 at 10:06 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can comment on this entry.