The First Time I Ever Taught

by Robert
(Nagoya, Aichi)

It was for the Cultural Homestay Institute and they
brought students over from Japan to do two week and one
month homestays at that time.



I had to find host families, arrange trips and teach
the classes. I was 24 and I had never taught in my life.



Training consisted of watching a one hour video of teaching a class and reading their manual.


I found out that not only would the students be coming
but two Japanese teachers as well. So I would be teaching my first class ever in front of two veteran teachers! I was terrified!



A friend of mine said, "Don`t worry, always remember the
students are more scared than you."

I still use this thought today.


That first lesson I tried to write as little on the board as possible for fear my hands would shake. I tried to forget that two teachers were in the room
watching me and I was really well prepared.

Actually the lesson went fine. It was the lead up
to the lesson that was one of my worst experiences.