Exhausted

It's Thursday. As my partner teacher said when we finished workshop this afternoon, the week is essentially over. We teach tomorrow morning... and then we have the Friday lecture, and then we are free.

They say the 6th week is the worst, but it hasn't been that bad. The only thing I really notice is the increasing level of fatigue. We are all just worn out. My class itself is running much more smoothly. I guess my talk with my problem student did the trick. They are all behaving well... so I hope the worst is behind us. They are making progress and they have gotten the hang of it- now we all just have to find the energy to finish it. We even had fun this morning.

Yesterday the director observed my class. The students had just finished a presentation and I was about to get up to give feedback before we moved on to the next activity. I turned around, saw the door open, realized that all my students were already in the room, and had a brief inner panic attack. The classes are meant to be completely student-centered, so I freaked out about giving feedback right then. The presentation wasn't so good, and I knew the feedback session would be awkward, so I quickly switched to our next activity, a discussion. They knew it was coming and they were prepared for it, so all went along pretty well after some initial awkwardness. I was writing feedback sheets for the students, doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. Then she left. Then the students all breathed a HUGE sigh of relief (I wasn't the only one who was thrown off, clearly) and then they all started laughing. And guess what happened then? She came BACK IN. Shit. They all silently said "shit" to themselves- I could see it on their faces. But, they were still in their discussion, and it continued. She left a few minutes later. Relief!

Needless to say I was a little concerned after that- I wondered if I might be in trouble. It seems that I am not, though. In the teacher's meeting yesterday she said something to me about my students' proficiency- and nothing bad. I figured if I were really in trouble I would hear about it right away. Despite the director's opinion on laughter, she has no way to prove that they were laughing at her. Laughter is a natural part of a language classroom- we laugh all the time. I have to meet with her next week to see what she has to say. I am so relieved that it's over!

TMH and I are going out of town on Saturday-to a little town north of us, on the coast- and spending the night! I am so excited. I know it is not a real vacation, but it is the best we can do for now. I'll take it! TMH asked if I wanted to plan anything for our day. I told him that all I do is plan, all day, and I am so excited to just go there, sit on the beach, and relax. YAY!

Then I will have 2 more weeks here. I am a little upset because TMH will be out of town next Thursday and Friday. We will just have to do our best to enjoy Saturday. I know it is not really my last weekend here... clearly I will be here a lot just like I was last year... but I know things will shift when I go back to school. I know, I know, I am not supposed to worry now. Now is the time to continue enjoying!