Posted on October 29, 2006 - Filed Under Uncategorized
I’m not sure I remember what it’s like to go to work everyday; that memory will come rushing back tomorrow. That’s when I actually begin this new adventure. It’s going to be quite a big deal for me personally and as a husband and father. The job will be like none I’ve ever had and will require a great of time, both at work and home. As it turns out, I will be thrown to the wolves, so to speak, as I will be teaching my very own class beginning 16 November. That doesn’t give me very long to learn the lesson plans, classroom and school procedures, how to manage students, the ethos of the school, etc. Some people believe this is the best way to train new folks; I wholeheartedly disagree. Though there are people who prefer to learn by doing, I think it is a good thing to allow every new person, in whatever job and environment, a period of observation and an opportunity to see how things ought to be done. I will have that but only for the last week or so of the current class, which graduates on 9 November.
I have met and spent a little time with everyone from the staff, my fellow instructors. They all seem quite nice. They also seem, to my chagrin, very energetic and cheerful. This is something I am actually quite worried about: all my life, people have characterized me as an extremely serious person. By this, I think some meant that I don’t seem very friendly and that I can be quite solemn. The truth is, I am a serious person and I sometimes have trouble having what many consider a good time. But to me, fun is something different that it is to a lot of folks. Anyhow, this often translates into a grave looking countenance on my part and that’s where people often misunderstand me. Just because I don’t have a smile on my face a majority of the time doesn’t mean I am unkind and not friendly. It also doesn’t mean I see the world through gray tinted glasses (although I do sometimes). So, the question here is, how do I help my future students understand this? I don’t know the answer as yet; however, I recognize that if I don’t find the answer and implement it, I will lose some students. Therefore, among other things, tomorrow marks the first step in what is surely going to be the long journey toward a more well-rounded Jason or at least one who doesn’t give people the impression I am all doom and gloom. I don’t know if this will ever mean I become energetic and widely enthusiastic; let’s hope that what I achieve in this evolution is enough.
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