TEFL Teaching English as a Forgotten Language
(I was a teacher once...and I miss it)
I miss the sounds of walking to work
and talking to colleagues and
laughter in the staff room
smiles in the class room
greetings in English and 20 other languages too
meetings and training cycling home when it's raining
hi how are you did you have a good day
cup of tea and a biscuit on a plate
early to bed and do it all again tomorrow
But the sorrow is a reality
there's no more teaching
no more cups of tea at break
no more classes to take
no more pronunciation vocabulary and grammar
no more laughing together as we hammer
the rules home of each and every tense
trying to make sense of the
present perfect continuous
the gerund and infinitive
A definitive moment
a finish an end and no one pretends
it doesn't feel odd not to hear
that bell ring as the classes begin
and the students gulp
their final dregs of coffee
not Italian or Turkish Brazilian Colombian
unlike the students
willing to learn a yearning
to speak to communicate yet
An English language fate
the demise under Covid skies
where no one wants to self isolate
for 14 days on arrival to ensure the survival
of an industry in decline no
just find some time virus free
country-distanced to Skype and Zoom
for a lesser fee no need for a class room
or a school when the virtual rules
and there's no need to ring the bell anymore
when the class rooms are empty
behind every door
_______
Forgive my lack of punctuation, but with Covid19, my life is sadly now unpunctuated by the routine and rhythm of work, of teaching English to amazing, funny, engaging students from around the world. From meeting and chatting and drinking tea with my friends and fellow teachers, admin staff, the school owners. The familiarity of arriving in the same building for 18 years. And enjoying your job. Taking pride in being part of something worthwhile, seeing the smiles of satisfaction as the students leave the classroom having learnt, improved, communicated, gained in confidence...made jokes...in English.
A great place to have worked. Yes, the present perfect tense. Have worked. Started in the past (July 2002) and continued up to now (well, March 2020)...and may or may not continue in the future. But sad it won't.
So thank you all at Kingsway Worcester for all the good times. To every student I have met and taught. To fellow teachers, friends and colleagues, and there were and are many.
Thank you.
Sue Johns Rick Johns Zoe Anne Richard Ostick Heidi Shipton Ostick Catherine Short Caterina Magdelina Tim Silk Marc Bull Daniel Coll Bob South Emma Bennett Kathy Austin Sally Kendrick Annette Small Bob Whitelaw Ian Finney Debbie Taylor Fred Chevalier (for Margaret) Dani Amirah Mundy William Walker Jane Carley Mark Everitt Kris Chadwick Joo Lee Chantalle Louisa Lester
Apologies if I have forgotten anyone
