Now that summer is here, there are a lot of students who are looking for private teachers. Some students just want someone to talk to; others need to find a teacher who has a firm understanding of grammar and linguistics. While you're certainly welcome to contact me about classes (e-mail me at stop.spanglish (at) yahoo (dot) es!), I know that the Stop Spanglish way of teaching isn't for everyone, and that you may be looking for different things in a teacher.
I've often thought about how the relationships between students and teachers work, so here are some thoughts that I had. I hope these help you find a teacher you really like.
You have the right to have a teacher who answers your questions and who helps you. You do not have to tolerate a teacher who talks endlessly and who doesn't listen to you.
You have the right to ask for help with specific skills. If you're the student, you're the boss. You are the person who understands your needs the best, and while the teacher is there to help you, he or she can't possibly understand everything you need. You have to be assertive and clear about what you want to do.
You have the right to a teacher who acts in a professional manner: someone who is on time, someone who understands the material they are going to teach you.
You have the right to ask for homework. But if you do, you also have the obligation to actually DO that homework.
Remember that teachers don't do this work for fun. Many of us have rent and bills to pay and it's very insulting when students cancel at the last minute (and we don't get paid), or when students try to get us down to a lower hourly rate. Do you ask your lawyer to reduce how much he charges? Do you ask your gestor not to be expensive? True English teachers are trained professionals who are worth the money you pay. Remember: a lot of people pay their cleaning ladies a measly €12 per hour, and a lot of cleaning ladies can't even read and write properly. You can pay €12 an hour for English classes, but beware: you get what you pay for.
I'm sure I'm forgetting some things, so if you want to make a comment or a suggestion, I'd love to hear from you.
Showing posts with label questions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label questions. Show all posts
4.16.2010
WELCOME TO STOP SPANGLISH
Hello, everyone!
Most of my students will tell you that I'm a patient person... most of the time. I don't typically yell. I try to remember to take a deep breath when I get frustrated. But the advertisement put me over the edge.... YES, WE WANT.
What?
There it was...or, better said, there they were: two advertisements in the Gregorio Marañón metro station. Two pictures of smiling children with their hands up, and the words: "YES WE WANT" in big letters, in the upper left-hand corner.
Oh, no. The Comunidad de Madrid just spent nearly two million Euros on an ad campaign that is extremely, surprisingly....INCORRECT.
Oh, no.
And that is how I got the idea to start this blog.
My name is Patricia. I'm Canadian, and have been working as an English teacher since 1999 (and I've been in Madrid since 2001.) I'm not a trained linguist. I work for myself; I'm not an academy or a company (well, not yet, anyway.) I don't have a university degree in Education. But I do teach English, I do hear the mistakes that students make.
Most of all, I see how students behave and I see the things they do, and I get really frustrated because I know that there are a lot of people who could be great English speakers, but who have problems. Maybe they use too much translation when they speak in English. Maybe they don't practice enough outside of class. That's a shame, because doing things like that prevents people from really being able to communicate effectively in English.
So that's the reason why I started this blog. I wanted to create a free, easy, comprehensive resources that students can use to imporve their English and their study skills. Every day, or as frequently as I can, I promise to....
TODAY'S VOCABULARY
to take a deep breath: to take a long inhalation, especially when you need a moment to think about something.
a shame: a fact or circumstance bringing disgrace or regret: The bankruptcy of the business was a shame. It was a shame you couldn't come with us.
Most of my students will tell you that I'm a patient person... most of the time. I don't typically yell. I try to remember to take a deep breath when I get frustrated. But the advertisement put me over the edge.... YES, WE WANT.
What?
There it was...or, better said, there they were: two advertisements in the Gregorio Marañón metro station. Two pictures of smiling children with their hands up, and the words: "YES WE WANT" in big letters, in the upper left-hand corner.
Oh, no. The Comunidad de Madrid just spent nearly two million Euros on an ad campaign that is extremely, surprisingly....INCORRECT.
Oh, no.
And that is how I got the idea to start this blog.
My name is Patricia. I'm Canadian, and have been working as an English teacher since 1999 (and I've been in Madrid since 2001.) I'm not a trained linguist. I work for myself; I'm not an academy or a company (well, not yet, anyway.) I don't have a university degree in Education. But I do teach English, I do hear the mistakes that students make.
Most of all, I see how students behave and I see the things they do, and I get really frustrated because I know that there are a lot of people who could be great English speakers, but who have problems. Maybe they use too much translation when they speak in English. Maybe they don't practice enough outside of class. That's a shame, because doing things like that prevents people from really being able to communicate effectively in English.
So that's the reason why I started this blog. I wanted to create a free, easy, comprehensive resources that students can use to imporve their English and their study skills. Every day, or as frequently as I can, I promise to....
- include information that will help you understand why English and Spanish are different.
- give you examples of Spanglish that I hear, and an explanation of why it's technically incorrect;
- make a list of free resources and events where you can practice your English;
- provide you with links to articles and online videos that are a fun way of practising English
- help you with any questions you may have about exams like TOEFL, First Certficate and the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas.
Thanks for reading! And if you have any questions, doubts or comments, feel free to add a comment at the end of the blog.
Talk to you soon!!!
PatriciaTODAY'S VOCABULARY
to take a deep breath: to take a long inhalation, especially when you need a moment to think about something.
a shame: a fact or circumstance bringing disgrace or regret: The bankruptcy of the business was a shame. It was a shame you couldn't come with us.
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