Another year is beginning...something to look forward to :-)

And so my 7th year at SGO is at hand. To be honest, this week back before the students return is a bit 'dull' - just doing some preparation, poradas, and for a change, lots of cleaning due to the tremendous mess which the builders & decorators have been making in our absence! :-o Dust everywhere...classrooms full of stuff which doesn't belong there...but gradually, it's all coming together - and next Monday...? Well, we'll see :-)

As for me, I really can't wait to begin teaching again. As I look back to my rough & ready beginnings, I can see that I've come a long way, and have hopefully learnt something about communicating English to lots of young people who are generally enthusiastic about getting the chance to 'chew the fat' with a native speaker. Not sure that I like the title of 'native speaker'...always makes me feel like I should come dressed as a Zulu Warrior! :-) (now THAT could be fun!)

Each year, I always try to improve on what's gone before, and this year will be no exception. In fact, I have a feeling that this year is going to be a special one - and that is no disrespect to previous years - I have enjoyed all of them! But this year...well, it's just a 'feeling', perhaps - but we will see.

I only hope that by the end of it, all of the students will have increased in their love, appreciation, & skill for the English language - whatever level they are at when I meet them from next week on. That is always my goal. And I also know that I need their help to do it :-) What they learn at SGO is just never enough - it's what happens in the big wide world outside that counts. I'm hoping that some students will dream in English (as opposed to nightmares involving certain teachers & grammar tests!).

One of the joys of teaching is when students make progress...and realise it themselves...and say 'thank you'. Some say it with words, some with chocolate, and some in writing. This is one of my treasures:

This was given to me by Viki, a Thai student from 2-3 yrs ago who was with us with Tawan. I have it pinned up in my office on my noticeboard. If ever I needed motivation to teach & encourage, then this is it. But I also take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to ALL those who have expressed their appreciation for my efforts in helping them with their English. It really does mean a lot to me :-)

So...bring on the new school year. I'm ready.

What's in a name? :-)

The beginning of the new school year is close at hand - and for myself, it will be a very different year. This will be the first year that I won't work specifically with each Maturita class - I will only have contact with students in the seminars. The fact is that every student has to do a language in the State Exam this year (so I'm led to believe), and therefore the interest in English seminars in much higher...and so most of my lessons this year will be seminars. In fact, I will be working with 15 groups altogether...and one lucky/unlucky group will get me all to themselves! :-) 

And so, something different will happen this year - I will be giving names to the Seminar Groups, which will hopefully be chosen by the students in that group. I find that it helps to give an identity to the group, and it's also fun...and it's much better to refer to a group with a name, rather than 1Aj1 Konv, or 5Aj1 Konv...(boring!!) 

It also reminded me of some of the names of past years...so, in case you were wondering...here is the complete list of ALL classes from when I began...I wonder which class (in your opinion) had the best name...and I wonder what names will appear this year? ;-)

(*NOTE! Updated to include the classes of 2012-13)

CLASS NAMES AT S.G.O. 2006-2013

2006-07:

4A - DEEP SILENCE

4B - NO NAME

4B - THE BEST LOSERS

4C - I DON'T UNDERSTAND

4C - ROYAL ZOO

8E - MASTERS OF ENGLISH

6AF (Conv) - CHIQUITAS

2007-08:

4A - SEA RATS

4A - SILVER SQUIRRELS

4B - THE PIRATES

4B - PUSSYCATS AND TWO DOGS

4C - SPIDER PIGS

4C - THE SURVIVORS

4D - HAPPY HIPPY HIPPOES

4D - LAZY WOMBATS

6AF - CONKER QUEENS

8E - FRIENDS OF MR. BUKVA

8E - THE FARMER'S HEDGEHOGS

8F - THE LADIES

8F - THE SLACKERS

2008-09:

4A - CINDERELLA, MICKEY MOUSE, AND THE REST OF DISNEYLAND

4A - SIMPLY GIRLS

4B - PUNK KINGS AND QUEENS

4B - THE NAVAHOS

4C - EVERILL'S ANGELS

4C - YELLOW DAFFODILS

4D - THE FRI-DERS

4D - THE SLEEPERS

6AF - BRITNEY'S FANS

8A8 - COMBINE HARVESTERS

8A8 - FRIENDS OF ASTON VILLA

8B8 - LOLLIPOPS

8B8 - PINK PANTHERS

2009-10:

4A - SHOUTING MUTES

4B - LOVE DOVES

4B - FURIOUS CUCKOOS

4D - DANUSE'S FINEST

6AF - POWER RANGERS

8A8 - THE CAPTAIN'S ARMY

8A8 - THE SLEEPING STONES

8B8 - SHORT-TERM MEMORY LOSS

8B8 - EVERILL LOVIN'

2010-11:

4A - THE LAZY FLIES

4A - TOTAL DIFFERENCE

4B - PIRATES OF SPRINGFIELD

4B - DREAM TEAM

6AF - ROGUE SQUADRON

8A8 - HOLY ALCOHOLICS

8A8 - BROTHERHOOD OF CAPTAIN EVERILL

8B8 - THE SITTING STUDENTS

8B8 - THE CHOSEN ONES

4A8 - AWESOME GUYS

4A8 - COOL (WO) MEN

4B8 - SIXTEEN JAILMEN (previously FAT RATS)

4B8 - BRAVE AVATARS

2011-12:

4A /B - RIDERS ON THE STORM

4A /B - ANGRY DUMPLINGS

4A/B - MR E's ARMY

4A/B - CLEVER SARDINES

6AF - INCREDIBLE JETS

8A8 - THE DIRTY DANCERS

8A8 - ERROR IN THE MATRIX

8B8 - SG-1

8B8 - MARY'S STRAWBERRIES

4A8 - LITTLE CATS

4A8 - BLACK MAMBAS

4B8 - HAPPY MARSHMALLOWS

4B8 - HUNGRY ZOMBIES

2012-13:
1Aj1 - MY FLUFFY LITTLE PINK PONIES
1Aj2 - AQUILA TEAM
2Aj1 - TOTAL ENTHUSIASTS
2Aj2 - FUNKY TURTLES
3Aj1 - MR E CHICKENS
3Aj2 - EVA'S MONKEYS
4Aj1 - WAR PIGS
4 1Aj1 - REDS UNDER THE BED
4 1Aj2 - JUSTIN BIEBER FAN CLUB
4 2Aj1 - YELLOW SNOW EATERS
4 2Aj2 - NEVER-ENDLESS PARTY
4 3Aj1 - BLUE SMURFS
4 3Aj2 - THE PRETTY GUNNERS
5Aj1 - ALCOHOLIC SHARKS
5Aj2 - HARD CONKERS
4AF Aj1 - THE GODS
4AF Aj2 - THE PINK CATS
4A8 Aj1 - HOPELESS HELLO KITTIES
4A8 Aj2 - KILLER BEES
4B8 Aj1 - HEEBIE JEEBIE CUCUMBERS
4B8 Aj2 - BIG PINK PIGS 

The summer is over...

Eight weeks of holidays have finally come to an end. I know there are some teachers (who will remain nameless) who wish that the holidays could just roll on forever - but me? No...I've enjoyed my holidays, but the fact is that I really do enjoy my work. Even though I am not a qualified/traditional teacher as such, I love this work that I have somehow fallen into. My first week back is full of cleaning (due to the reconstruction work of the new building) & 'poradas'...but next week, the real work (& fun) of teaching begin...and to be honest, I can't wait!

But before I anticipate the coming new school year (in another post), I want to reflect on what I did during my holidays. It's only fair, as I sometimes ask this of my students ;-) So, here goes...

My holidays actually began with a minor car accident! My fault...I was reversing on the very tight car park near the Police building by Vejdovskeho tram-stop...and caught the bumper of a car (which we found out belonged to a woman who works on the serious traffic problems division!! It was all resolved relatively peacefully...but what a way to begin! :-(

I did some bike rides - although I did have one incident where my chain broke & I had to freewheel & walk home. My longest trip proved to be around 54 kms (my record is 95). I also did lots of walks (one of my favourite walks is in Strazisko...& I discovered another one from Potstat, which was very beautiful!), bird-watching, photographing...one the whole, the summer weather was excellent, and I like the odd thunderstorm too!

I saw a couple of ex-students, which is always fun - catching up, playing chess, having a beer & a pizza :-) Meeting the family! Cool!

I also had chance to watch a few films:

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - odd, but interesting...
• V for Vendetta - a bit brutal at times, but remembering the British riots of last year, I found some of it very provoking...
• Stand & Deliver - TV movie about a maths teacher & underprivileged students....inspirational & challenging!
• Dr Strangelove - amusing...but perhaps a bit dated now
• Amistad - good film, but could have been better, perhaps...
• The Way - good film about the Santiago De Compostella Walk in France/Spain...a pilgrimage... 
• Ryan's Daughter - romantic melodrama from the 70's - wonderful Irish scenery, strong story...well acted.
• Rango - Western animation - fun :-)
• And I finally watched ALL of the Batman series (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises) - I like action films, so I wasn't disappointed...well made & gripping films.
• The Grey - adventure story...but is it 'real' or just an analogy...thought-provoking about the theme of 'death & loss'...
• Treasure of the Sierra Madre - classic Humphrey Bogart film of man's greed & lust for gold...really well acted!

We also enjoyed about 12 days in England (before the Olympics) & visited Cornwall (as has been blogged here already). There was a family reunion at the cottage in Vysocina to celebrate Maminka's 70th birthday (which is in Sept) - and later we also went to the cottage & I spent 3 days chopping wood!! I calculated that I chopped over 220 pieces of wood of various sizes...needless to say, I was shattered at the end of it! 

We also went to a wedding of a Ugandan friend who married the daughter of our Czech pastor! A great experience, and Petra translated there! :-) The venue at Vletice was outstanding!

And finally, during this last week, we went to the High Tatras in Slovakia - compared to last year (which was a total washout!), this year was truly awesome - great weather, wonderful scenery, and some little drama...but what a way to end the holidays!! 

So...as I go back to work, I am a very satisfied man...bring on the new school year! :-)