Today was a tough day. I'm tired.
I was in class on time, students were late in the two morning classes. It was a student's birthday in the second (morning) class, so that class started late, and took a cake break in the middle.
The topic (animal intelligence) was fine, some students enjoyed more than others, and there were divergent opinions. I spent about 8 minutes presenting Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, which was not directly related to the reading, but wanted students to both think about the ESP element of animals (which the book did mention) and also students' own study habits.
Also referred to the program evaluation, which will be done on Friday (last day), that I wanted students to think more than just the 5 minutes they will be given at end of class. So that they help teachers and the program improve for next time. And that thinking about what they liked and didn't helps them to think about their own learning styles.
These guys are starting to understand, I think, that I'm serious about them "thinking" in English rather than just practicing their "taxi-driver" (BICS) talk. And a few students are offering nice comments, that the ideas I offer, even unrelated to English, are important and sticking, even when they don't agree (they are thinking). A few will join my classes next semester, I think, even though none are in my major. Which means maybe they think I'm doing something useful.
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