Thursday, November 16, 2006

More Teaching

Sensei is out of town for the rest of this week, so K - the other senior adult - and I will be covering the classes. I only found this out Tuesday - so I haven't had a chance to prepare, but I also haven't had a chance to get nervous.

The other thing that cropped up as a possibility (after the new year), is that Sensei may not be able to make some of the scheduled class times on a regular basis, and would need me and/or Karen to simply take over teaching those classes most weeks.

I told him I was willing, and I am, but the idea of being responsible for a regular class is a bit intimidating yet. So I am at one and the same time both scared and extremely flattered. That Sensei trusts me sufficiently to be willing to turn over a weekly class if necessary is a good feeling. (Though is it horrible that I also thought, somewhat gleefully, that teaching the class would also likely lead to testing for purple soon? I feel ready for the test, so I'm mostly waiting on Sensei to decide to let me take it.)

On the other hand, I'm really hoping that whatever the conflict is doesn't turn out to be something negative for Sensei. He didn't say anything definite, but his very reticence is a little alarming.

It's a good thing all this is happening in Nano month (26,000 words and counting!). I'm too damn busy to stew over it the way I would normally. I'm eating up all my time trying to figure out how the antipope gets killed!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Teaching's a great opportunity, take it! Is it kids or adults? Needless to say, adults are easier, but the kids provide good experience. Everybody learns, including you. Good luck.

Perpetual Beginner said...

Thanks, John.

We have a mixed class, as there are too few adults to justify a separate class right now. We have about a dozen students altogether (as regular attendees - at least once a week). Nine of these are kids, and three are adults. Three of the kids however, are mid-ranked belts that are 10-12 years old, and pretty easy to work with. Since one of the other adults is Karen, who outranks me, the only adult in any class I'd be teaching would be our one adult white belt. Though that may change soon, since I expect to be ready for my next belt test sooner than Karen. (We're the same belt, but she has more time in rank.)

I expect to be learning a LOT if I start teaching regularly. I learn plenty just doing the occassional emergency pick-up.