Would you like to talk to a Brazilian online? It's today, at 10am. (GMT -3)
Just click here and join us!

Practice your Portuguese by Answering these 10 Questions!

Teacher Gifts:
Making Students Believe in Themselves

Você Já Presenteou
Algum Professor?

Once, I was called in a hurry to substitute an absent teacher.

There were five students in that class. A young woman called my attention by her noticeable interest in learning.

The class was flowing naturally... I played a CD, and asked some follow up questions. They seemed a bit confused. One of them whispered to his classmate: "English is hard, isn’t it?"

Recognizing that as a precious moment to finish this myth, I played again the same track for three more times.

"Wow! Now we understand it!"

"I thought you had changed the track. It is so easy to follow along!"

I can't describe how I felt.

I just invited them to do the same with each track of the CD and moved on.

Class over, I was feeling that satisfaction of a job well done. Certa vez, fui chamado às pressas para substituir uma professora.

Naquela classe de cinco alunos, uma moça me chamou a atenção em particular por seu notável interesse em aprender.

A aula fluía naturalmente... Toquei um CD, e fiz perguntas de acompanhamento. Eles me pareceram um tanto confusos. Um deles cochichou com o colega: "Inglês é difícil, né?"

Percebendo a preciosidade do momento para derrubar esse mito, toquei de novo o mesmo trecho por mais três vezes.

"Caramba, agora a gente já entende!"

"Pensei que você tivesse trocado de faixa. Tá fácil de acompanhar!"

Nem consigo descrever o que senti.

Convidei-os a que fizessem o mesmo com o restante do CD e seguimos em frente.

Terminada a aula, tive aquela agradável sensação de um serviço bem feito.