So, according to my calendar, 2017 is almost done, and I had some thoughts about it, which I decided to share today. 2017 has been a blast, professionally speaking, I cannot say otherwise considering my first article (in a real paper! http://digital.elgazette.com/december-january-2017/we-can-easily-forget-about-the-students-2.html)just came out, but this year was also a lot more:

-Some years can be longer than the others: it feels like this year was the longest I ever lived. I left my job, went back to school, graduated, began to teach, and launched my website (and sold my apartment, and I am currently moving out… I am a busy lady, as my friend Eily would say)

-It’s okay to take some time to breathe: when you learn that your mother has leukemia, the time is stopping, and you don’t have another choice but to breathe.

-It’s okay to be passionate about your job, if you don’t forget that you have a private life as well. My husband is incredibly patient, and I cannot thank him enough, but he is the first to stop me when I am turning “crazy”.

-Everyone is unique, especially when it comes to students. Putting same levels students together is a necessity. Some students will not be okay if they are alone, or in the contrary, in group but what matters here is what they want.

-Teaching kids was amazing. I love teaching adults, it’s challenging, it’s rewarding.. but I loved teaching kids. I would love to do it again, at some point, later… This experience was incredible.

-It’s good to set some goals but let’s keep our feet down the Earth. I am a newbie, and I still have a lot to learn!

-Do not stand alone. I had some rough times when I started to teach adults (a group was always canceling, a guy was never listening but checked his phone every damn minute, a guy accused me of fraud – my degrees are not French but English so I was a fraud…) but fortunately, I had some Twitter friends to cheer me up and to help me to see the situation differently 🙂 Thanks to all of you !(you know who you are!) Continue reading