Chipping away

My movement is in very small increments but it does seem to be in the forwards direction. I passed my grammar assessment with flying colours. Apparently I displayed excellent knowledge and was very helpful to my colleagues. Nice to hear that from my trainer. I put in 8 hours work for a 90 min presentation but I really needed to nail it.

It was crammed with technical stuff and plenty of worksheets. I've never given a 90min presentation before and I had to teach myself the grammar before I could plan the lesson. Although I have a teaching background I have never taught formal grammar, especially to adults.Great, I now know I can teach grammar when I need to (in more digestible chunks).

I'm now working on trying to get to grips with the process involved for beginners which I am needing to repeat with a new lesson plan tomorrow, it's critical. I feel I can do better than last time but I really need to get it just right in order to have a chance of passing this course. I'm also trying to inject some humour and fun into the lesson as well.

After more than 40 emails to various language schools I still only have the one interview. I treasure it but am still trying to find other work opportunities in France. It's a shame I don't have the time and money to stay here a few more weeks and target other areas of the country to give myself a better chance but I have what I have.

I've had to revise my plans to spend an extra night in Paris. I couldn't get a seat on a train at a time that fitted in with the bus schedule from this remote area so I will need to find somewhere to stay for a night in St Brieuc. It's a shame Pascal is too busy for me to stop off at Rennes and see him, so I'll just have to wing it. He lives some way out of Rennes so my visits to him have involved a fair bit of travel for him.

The photo is of Paris, the very first photo I took in France on my way from CDG airport to catch the train from Paris to Brittany. In just over a week I will be there. I have only 3 weeks left in France and so much I need to cram into it. Once the course is finished I'll be able to concentrate on my 'french experience' and have better opportunities to improve my spoken french.

In the meantime I need to keep 'knuckled down' and chip away at every task set me for my TESOL certificate.