First day teaching stories

[mohammed ahmed25]

I still remember the first day in one private school in Jordan. It was a funny experience for me. I was interested and enthusiastic to teach English to adults students. It was a listening class where I have to take the students to the computer lab. I took the key from the principal and informed him that we had a listening class. In the lab as usual I started with an introduction on how to use the computer. A little while later I noticed that two students were not paying any attention to me. I went to see what was going on. I was surprised to find that they were playing games - The two students were staring horrified, so I decided not to scold them and take it easy.
I started playing the game and asked one of them to join the challenge for two labs. At this moment the whole class gathered around us and started backing-me-up saying: TEACHER! TEACHER! TEACHER! Their sounds were too loud but I couldn't recognized that because of my full concentration on the game, before I crossed the end there was a silence, then I jumped happily in the air saying: YES! I DID IT! I WON THE RACE!
I turned my back to see the principal staring with rounded eyes at me. I didn't know what to say? I was embarrassed then he said, 'What an efficient listening class.'
After the class he called me at his room and started blaming me for what I had done, my face was totally red.
This was unforgettable event in my teaching experience.
From Jordan

[mohammed ahmed25]

First day slip up

It was my first working day in a very prestigious secondary school. I was rather nervous. I was young and looked quite childish so many students pushed me in the corridor mistaking me for another student. I tried to look serious, checked all my buttons, hair and bravely entered into the classroom. Everybody stood up staring at me, trying to guess what kind of teacher I was - a good or a strict one?
Then, something terrible happened. There was some water on the floor and while I was treading towards my table I slipped and fell down with all my books and other teacher's stuff. I felt terribly embarrassed and all the students were silent - they did not know what to do since they didn't know me.
I quickly stood up, collected my belongings completely red in the face and said: "OK, it is not a good start, but I hope it will get better!" Then, everybody laughed and we were ready to go on with our lesson.
From Croatia

[mohammed ahmed25]

It is more than ten years ago now but I’ll never forget my first day teaching. I am a Chemist but I had worked as a financial adviser in London.
After my marriage I came to France and had a daughter. I started looking for a job in vain. One day I saw a mother who said her daughter’s English teacher was leaving and there was nobody to replace her and she gave me the name of the person recruiting. I phoned and had the interview and she said you start tomorrow. And gave me the books and the address of the school.
I went there but the person who recruited me wasn’t there and the parents started leaving their children aged 5 and 6 and going. I said are you leaving me alone? They said of course you are the teacher. What a stupid question!
I was terrified never ever had thought before But I was a member of English speaking community and taking my daughter to the play groups. My daughter was 4 or 5 too and I had brought her alone to the first lesson as I couldn’t organise the baby sitting at a short notice. The children were sitting and looking at me and I didn’t know what to do.
But my daughter very calm took her puppet rabbit out started a puppet show I carried on with that. Children loved it and then my daughter started singing and the children sang along. I was relaxed by then and I did my class like a playgroup.
Thanks to my 5 year old daughter I succeeded my first day teaching. Now I’m a very successful teacher my daughter is 15 and I teach young teenagers. My daughter always inspired me how to teach. Because she knows how she’d like to learn.
That was my first day!
From France