Monday, January 11, 2010
What the hell is a Phrasel Verb?
So you want to hear how my first day of school went huh? Well, it started out, me being the only one at assembly at 8, which is the time its supposed to start. Everyone else was on Kenyan time I guess. If I havent told u this before, Kenyan time is about 45 minutes -3 hours behind mzungu time. So If something is supposed to start at 8, it will start at 8:45 or later. I had been told by some of the staff that due to lack of students, there would be a good chance we wouldn’t teach on Monday. I really should stop believing in everything people tell me. My headmaster took role and decided it was time to start class and so with that, the students went to clean the classrooms and the teachers to talking. I was like a chicken without its head( and trust me I’ve seen a lot of chickens with their heads). I had no idea what I was doing or where to go. Now up till this time, I had yet to talk with my headmaster about the schedule, the textbooks, schemes of work, what the children knew or didn’t know, or lesson planning. And yet…Im to teach classes NOW! At about this time, I was starting to imagine the nearest path of escape. But then I thought to myself, no way in hell was I going home. I worked my ass off to get here. However, I knew I was not prepared to teach at this time and sought out the headmaster. T hat man is from the gods. He said the most beautiful 6 words I have ever heard. “ you can observe the first few days”. I could start slow just the way I wanted. A huge weight had been lifted on my shoulders. However, I was naive enough to think it was gone for good. Not wanting to waste anymore time, I decided to work on my schemes of work and lesson planning. I was teaching 5 subjects this term and needed a scheme of work for each one. I started off with KSL class 8. A teacher had recommended class 8 to me, thinking it would help improve my signing and be good for the students as well. It sounded like good intentions at the time…. I found out 5 minutes after sitting down that there is no textbook for the class, that it is a NEW class and has never been taught AND it is one of the main subjects that will be tested on the national exam. Did I mention I am a brand new teacher in a brand new country? No wonder the teacher recommended the class to me. Good intentions indeed. . Half….ok ALL of the stuff I was supposed to teach in KSL 8, I never learned in my own classes in collage. What the hell is a phrasel verb? Ok, so I was back to freaking out. How was I supposed to teach when I don’t even know the topic? That weight was back again and it‘s getting heavier by the minute. What if I blow it an dmy students fail? The other teachers tell me there are no set consequences, just the fact that you will feel guilty for the rest of your life. Oh and how my other classes going? I also just found out I have to teach English in Signed Exact English…I don’t know SEE!…… Well its now 10:40, the night before my dreaded class with the phrasel verbs and I still have no idea what Im going to do. Maybe I’ll just wing it…or u guys may see me sooner then you think? I tell u how it goes and if I need a plane ticket.
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Ok, breathe. You will survive this and I will kick your ass if you try to come home over something stupid. Yes, it is overwhelming and scary but you are strong and will work through this. If I remember correctly, a phrasal verb is a verb+adverb that changes the meaning of the original verb. Get it? No?
ReplyDeleteOk ... think of Ran as your original verb and Away as your Adverb. Run Away is considered a phrasal verb because Run Away when combined means to leave home but separately mean something totally differently. Sorta ... that's the best I can explain it. Google it ... I will try to find one of my english textbooks to help you.
LOL Thank you sooo much! Be on the lookout for more questions. LOL
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