NBK Design | artCrush 60 {options}
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NBK Design | Easy Peasy Mobile Devices No1
https://the-lilypad.com/store/Easy-Peasy-mobiledevices1.html
The journaling reads:
I am an ESL teacher. I work for a language school specializing in teaching English to adults and I mostly teach in companies. Until a few years ago I, like every other teacher, taught face-to-face, either in a classroom or at my students' place of work. But then in 2020 COVID came and all the lessons were moved online. And then, while the world was in the grips on the pandemic, my husband was offered a job on the other side of the world so we packed up our stuff and moved. By that time I had only a handful of students left - less than 10 hours a week in total so it wasn't a big deal. However, I didn't want to lose my job altogether so I went to my boss and explained the situation to her. I was leaving the country - that was non-negotiable - but I offered to stay and continue to teach online. I knew that most of my remaining students appreciated the convenience of the on-line format which allowed for more flexibility from both our sides and I hoped that more and more corporate students would be interested (it was July 2020 so most people were eager to get back to the old normal). There was a catch though - because of the time difference, I could only teach in the morning.
To cut the long story short, my idea paid off and I now teach four-five hours a day, all on-line. My students are on the other side of the world and we have never met in person, but that doesn't mean we don't share a connection. We chat and laugh at jokes, I tell them stories about our life here in Indonesia and they tell me stories about their life back home. Most of these conversations are superficial and revolve around basic questions about their day, weekend, holiday plans or how they like their coffee. We talk about their childhood memories or music they like or a show they are currently watching. I listen to the answers, focusing on grammar and vocabulary. My job is to teach them to express themselves in a foreign language, not to judge their decisions or beliefs. I am friendly, but I am not their friend. I teach them how to avoid answering a question they don't feel comfortable answering or how to structure a conversation with their boss. I help them prepare a work presentation, and I listen if they want to vent about something they are dealing with.
And I've noticed a curious thing happening. Because I am so far away and we will never meet in person, because I don't know any of their friends and family, because I ask questions about THEIR likes and dislikes and listen patiently while they explain to me why they take two sugars and almond milk in their coffee, with time our lessons turn into quasi-therapy sessions. Words in a foreign language don't carry the same emotional load as they do in our native language, so students begin to open up and share with me the details of their personal life. Many are busy professionals whose days are scheduled for weeks ahead, yet they find time to meet me on a weekly basis to talk about their weekend and whether or nor they like mismatched socks. And I know they look forward to our chats where they feel heard. They get a cup of coffee, close the door to their office - I'm having English now, sorry - and sit in front of their computer and talk. Just like I know our relationship would be very - VERY - different if I were sitting in their office with them.
