There were many times throughout Language Bridges that I had to remind myself that the joy of teaching and helping others really is worth a few bumps in the road. From my class being scheduled at a time I did not anticipate, to often having a new group of learners, to coming in the morning and finding no one had shown up, Language Bridges certainly presented a plethora of challenges. But looking back, I really do not mind all of the little "glitches" that happened along the way. By the end of it all, I can say that my class of learners improved their English and their confidence. That was the goal, so I celebrate their achievement!
My learners and I had a really unique sort of bond which we formed after the first class I taught alone. I think both they and I were surprised that I was not intimidated by a classroom full of adult men, and my comfort teaching them led to a comfortable atmosphere in the classroom from that point onward. My learners were not afraid to talk to me during class or afterward, and I was happy to walk and chat with them on the way to the bus.
What I appreciated most about my learners was the diversity of fields and backgrounds they came from. Between 8 or 9 learners, they represented 3 different countries and 6 different jobs at CDC! This made lesson planning a challenge at first, as I could not rely on vocation-specific English vocabulary, but in the end it made class more productive and more fun. The learners were good at working together to teach each other vocabulary, based on the words they learned from their everyday work situations. The increased interaction was natural, and I loved seeing the students work together without me forcing them to do so. The best activities we did always involved teamwork; learners loved brainstorming words together and teaching each other!
The Language Bridges celebration was the perfect end to this wonderful semester of teaching English. Some of my learners did not think they could make it to the celebration, which made it even more of a joy to see every single person show up! I do not know how important this experience was to each individual in my class; I can imagine that they at least enjoyed it and left with a renewed sense of pride and greater confidence in themselves. But I can say that the celebration did teach me just how important Language Bridges was in my experience here at CMU Qatar. I got an opportunity to interact with so many wonderful people in the program and learn about their lives and dreams. Just a year ago (even six months ago) I could not even imagine myself coming to Qatar, and now I find all of these wonderful experiences to be mundane! It has certainly been a blessing, even though I often forget it is!
I wish the best to the Language Bridges program in the future, and I will be bragging about it to everyone in Pittsburgh!
~Natalie
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