Teacher Kelsey & My Classes

As my first semester of teaching comes to an end, I think it is the perfect time to share with you a little bit of my life as "Teacher Kelsey." In two short months I can confidentially say that these kids have changed my life. They make me smile on the hardest days and have challenged me in ways I never thought imaginable. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be their teacher and I hope that our time together has a blink of an impact in their lives.   

So here it goes…

I teach 23 classes a week which is 3-6 classes each day. I also tutor two kindie students twice a week. Each class has between 40 and 45 students and I design my own lesson plans from start to finish. As with most ESL teachers, I teach conversational English. This means my classes are very dialogue heavy while also introducing new vocabulary and simple grammar rules.      

P3

These students are 9-10 years old and are an energetic bunch! Our classes are all about games, role plays, and exciting activities to keep them interested. When I ask for a volunteer all 45 hands immediately shoot into the air and each student can’t wait to be called on. My P3 students make me feel like I rock star. They come and visit me in the office, write me love notes, give me candy, and swarm me in the hallways. They can be incredibly difficult sometimes, but their toothless smiles make up for it. 

P3/1

P3/2

P3/3

P3/4

P3/5

P5

These students are 11-12 years old and are starting to find their place in this world. I am obsessed with this age because the students are developing their own interests and friend groups and they are so curious about everything. They are able to actually express how the feel, what they are interested in, and what makes them happy. My classes are typically very structured for the first half with pair/group work for the second half. They are incredibly creative and I am always surprised by the dialogues and responses that they come up with.

P5/1

P5/2

P5/3

P5/4

P5/5

M1/1 

These students are 13-14 years-old and have stolen my heart. To be honest, I was incredibly intimidated (and still am some days) to teach this age group. Almost all of my experience is with children under the age of six, so I was nervous about finding age appropriate lessons and activities for them. My students are also unique because they are an MEP class and take all of their classes in English (I call them my little geniuses)! Our class is primarily structured around projects and presentations. I like giving the students room to be creative with their English while also expressing themselves and their own individual interests. I absolutely adore this group of students more than they will ever know. They are easy to communicate with and I truly enjoy learning more about each and every one of them. 

M1/1

Kindie Tutoring

As most of you know my heart will always be with little kids. So, when I got offered a kindergarten tutoring job I immediately said YES. Twice a week I get to spend time with Yung-e and Jai-Jai singing, dancing, and coloring. These boys are five and they amaze me because English is their THIRD language. They speak Thai, Chinese, and English. And they are absolutely adorable so that's a plus. 

Yung-e

Jai-Jai

My fellow Burana teachers have been my saving grace. Dean, Kirsten, Nikki, Margo, and Hannah, thank you for welcoming me with open arms and warm smiles. It was incredibly intimidating starting in the middle of the semester and you have made me feel like I belong since day one. Thank you for showing me the best coffee and lunch places and for always helping when I have questions. I am lucky to have you as coworkers and friends!

Dean, Kirsten, Nikki, Margo, Hannah

I am in awe that this is my life. My heart still flutters every time a student calls me "Teacher Kelsey." I am so lucky to be able to fulfill my dream of teaching in such a beautiful place with such amazing people. So cheers to being humbled by new people and experiences every single day. I can't wait to see what the next six months have in store for me!