Yesterday, I spent the whole day in school for this Saturday workshop which is to help us in our practicum. We had to do some micro-teaching which really means teaching a small segment of a lesson which you would teach to an actual class. Each of us had to teach a grammar structure in 10min. After each presentation, we critique each other’s performance and methodology.
It was a good thing to know that everyone was just as nervous as everyone else. I presented one way in which the present continuous tense could be used. I was with the international students group and other people who are interested in teaching overseas.
The session was really for constructive criticism and it was a relaxed atmosphere. However, one international student from China took our comments a bit too hard. Some of us (me included!) commented that her activity was a bit too complex for learners and maybe the presentation could be improved upon. Anyhow, I guess she felt really bad about her “bad” performance and she started tearing when she got back to her seat.
Gosh, when I saw that I felt so gulity! Like I was one of those big bullies in school. I hope she doesn’t think I’m a horrible person who loves finding fault with people’s work. I’m one of the more vocal people among the international students and I really hope the other international students don’t think I’m trying to show off or something, ‘cos most of them don’t say very much.
Yesterday’s session was really all about sharing and learning. There was nothing personal about the criticisms and any comment made was meant to help the person. I guess that student was just a little too hard on herself.
Anyway, I hope that the next session will be devoid of such incidents!