Monday morning blues? Erm, no.

Well, it's MONDAY again.

One minute you're basking in the glory of Friday evening with too much pizza, some lovely wine and good company. Next thing you know, it's Monday morning and you're making your way, bleary eyed, to work.

But let me tell you, that the individual student I have on a Monday morning, is most definitely what you would call a morning person.

But not in that annoying way, where someone bounds up to you, practically singing about what a glorious day it is and acting as thought they have (annoyingly) just won the lottery.

No. My student calmly transfers his Monday morning cheer to the people around him, leaving good moods and smiles as he goes.

The thing is about Mondays, he says, is that it's the start of a new week. Your batteries are charged, you're full of energy, and you feel ready to tackle anything. Why on earth should you be tired and depressed?

Well, I agree completely. His positive thinking is refreshing. 

He had me laughing 10 minutes into the lesson, and for the whole time, I pretty much didn't stop. Now whoever can manage to do that, is most definitely worth knowing.

Have a great Monday!

Back to school!

I don't know about anyone else, but starting a new year at school or uni was always a great excuse to buy some amazing new stationary. Well, now I've become a teacher, I can still do this. Woohoo!

My new year has begun, and I have not only acquired some (cheap) new writing pads and folders, but have also 'customised' them with magazine cut outs.Well, I wanted them to look good- I'll be using them almost every day for the next few months...

All stationary from Lidl (yes, Lidl...in the section of random household bits. Bike saddles, sleeping bags, frying pans and, well, awesome stationary)

How sweet!

I'm fairly sure that the Irish one won't agree with me on this, but teaching kids is great. Yes, they expect you to wipe their snotty noses and yes, they can create levels of noise that make me wish I'd brought my earplugs to the lesson. But every now and then, they do things that really make me smile. Like actually getting all the answers right on their worksheet. Or telling me that my shoes are nice. Or giving me sweet gifts like this one:

I can guarantee that in a few days, I will be renouncing everything I just said because some little terror has vexed me with their shocking behaviour, but for now, I shall bask in my contentment...

Where's the hand gel?!

As anyone who works with children will know, you are far more exposed to germs, due to the wiping of snot on your hands and the coughing directly into your mouth (yes, it happened, and yes, it was gross). We spend every Friday morning teaching pre-school children who most definitely don't have control over their noses and mouths. This however, as disgusting as it can be, is not their fault. They are young. Youngsters are snotty. But teenagers? Adults? Should they have as many colds and stomach bugs as kids? I thought not. But apparently I was wrong. 

During the winter, teaching can be a severe health hazard. We have all succumbed to something unpleasant. I hadn't had a fever for years, but then BAM! I was struck down with something horrid. Thermometer under arm, 4 blankets one minute and a pair of shorts the next. I just don't GET fevers! I blame the weather. Everyone else does. The winters here can be fairly mild. We had some 18 degree days at the start of December, and the bugs can have an absolute field day in these conditions. Of course, being an English teacher and not a scientist, I have no scientific evidence to support this, but that's 'what people say' around here. And everyone believes that. Italians don't seem to tolerate winters very well, and even though I claimed I was 'used to' slightly colder weather, I definitely wasn't used to everyone else not being used to it. And so they brought the colds and the bugs, sneezed in our faces, and wiped snot on our hands. And as for the kids.... 

So how does one protect oneself from such bio hazards that come with the teaching profession? One student kindly donated this get up:

But if you don't wish to use such extreme measures, maybe try the following:

• Hand gel. Lots of it. Industrial strength.
• Vitamin tablets and lots of fruit and veg.
• Do some exercise. At the end of the summer/autumn I was running 3 times a week and I felt much healthier in general. Then it got cold and I got too lazy.
• Claim you have an allergy to  young children and therefore can't work within 10 metres of them. 
• Remember, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. (But unfortunately makes you feel pretty rotten in the meantime..)

Good luck!!

7 reasons to teach in southern Italy!

When I gained my EFL teaching qualification, I started the incredibly time consuming task of searching for a suitable overseas teaching job. I didn't limit my search to any particular country, or continent even, but a job in Europe was definitely something I wanted at some point. The European continent is right on the UK's doorstep, yet is so diverse and exciting. I was incredibly lucky to land myself a job at a small-but-perfectly-formed school in Puglia (for those whose Italian geography is not  quite up to scratch, it's basically the 'spur' and heel of the boot). Rome is about 3 hours away by car, and then a further 2 hours by plane before I'm back in England again. Perfect. Southern Italy is wonderful, and a great place to teach English. Wherever you go, there will always be cultural differences and these may prove to be difficult to deal with at times, yet at the same time the experience is very fulfilling and incredibly interesting. So, I have decided to write the 7 most important reasons why you SHOULD teach in the south of Italy:

1. The people are generally very warm and friendly. Obviously there are exceptions anywhere you go, but the majority of my students, and people I know in the area, are simply lovely. They want to talk to you and are often very kind. Friends and family definitely look out for each other here.

2. The sunny weather puts everyone in a good mood. The winter is not perfect, but the lovely hot summer makes up for it! Teaching with the windows open and having the sun shine into the classroom puts everyone in a good mood. Happy students, happy teacher. Now's the time to blast them all with grammar!mwahaha!

sunny classroom. cute kids. (most of the time)

3.The language is beautiful and not as difficult as you may think. I have managed to pick up quite a bit from listening to others, watching TV and trying my best to communicate in Italian. You'll get there eventually. If I can do it, anyone can! Don't ask me about the grammar however, the less said about that, the better... ;)

4. There will often be an opportunity for a siesta. Hardly anybody works in the afternoon! zzzzzz

5. Sometimes students bring food. Like cake. Or little Italian pastries. Make sure you do a lesson on food vocabulary and they will be itching to bring in their tasty specialities.

a chocolate cake made by a student. more of these please!

6. Italians are generally easy going... and often late. Cue: extra couple of minutes to do those last minute photocopies!!

7. You will get a ton of cool points. Why? Because you are 'foreign' and 'exotic' (yes, even the Irish one with her pale legs and major tendency to burn with even a hint of weak sunshine!) and you spark interest in the community. Also, you don't live with your parents. Which is WAY cool, and unlike every other unmarried young person in the area. The downside to this though is that there's no one to do your cleaning and washing and cooking. But think positively. What's a little washing when you live in such a fantastic, sunny, buffalo mozzarella-filled country??

Italian kids are mischievous but teaching them is so much fun...again, I must stress most of the time!

Anyone anywhere can get a coffee mid morning. But here, the coffee is SO.MUCH.BETTER.

What shall we do at the weekend fellow teachers? Errmm, how about the BEACH?!

teaching truths...part one

Just a few teaching truths to feast your eyes on...

So true. Particularly when writing on the board and you forget letters. And sometimes whole words.

From Grammarly.com. This is gunna happen, I just no it...

Sounds like the homework I set. Except I usually give 4 questions.

A teacher's best friend after a week of rowdy teens and tricky grammar: Italian wine and nibbly thingies. Mmm.

WARNING. The costumes that Italian kids wear for carnival may cause extreme distress to your sight.