Today was my first class, and it was great - there's nothing like getting paid to do what you love doing! :-)
I have always loved teaching. And ever since I started learning French two years ago, it has been a favorite subject. It naturally followed that French became one of my favorite things to teach. So one week ago, when a friend asked me to teach someone she knew French, I readily agreed. And when the girl's mother insisted on paying me for my classes, it seemed too good to be true!
Shabnam's mom told me that her daughter's practical exams would be getting over in a week, and that she would like her to start classes after that. So for the rest of the week, I kept expecting to wake up and find that it was all just a wonderful dream... Okay, not really, but I kept expecting one of them to call and say they've changed their mind, or they've found another tutor who lives closer to their home, or that they realized she doesn't really need the tuitions...
When I called my French teacher to tell her the good news, she asked me if I'd be willing to take on a few more girls - some students in her class had decided that they needed to get serious about their studies, but didn't have anyone to go to for help. She asked me what my charges were like, and I asked her how much she suggested I took. Since it was my first time taking tuitions, as such, I was pretty hesitant to take 100Rs per hour, which is what she initially suggested. I decided that I'd charge 50Rs per hour. A lot of people have told me since that French tutors earn a lot more than that, but even now, I'm overwhelmed that I'm actually going to have people paying 50 Rs to come to my house and listen to whatever I have to say, for every hour! Especially since teaching others is something I'm willing to do any day, and is something i have done many times for different people of all age groups. Even more so since at home, I've got two younger brothers who I am asked to teach every once in a while, both of whom would make a great show of undergoing unbearable torture while I teach them, and who run away at the first possible opportunity during these sessions! :-) So naturally, when all of a sudden, I've got a group of people who are grateful that I'll be teaching them, and who are willing to pay me for my services, I'm thrilled!! Of course, the fact that I don't get any pocket money otherwise only adds to my delight.
Back to the beginning - today was my first class. Personally, I felt it was productive, and I've done a good job today. Shabnam's got her oral exam this Thursday, which leaves me with three days to get her in shape for it. That's not too much time, but I'm taking it up as a challenge. By Thursday, I hope to have a very confident girl going in for her oral exam, and coming out having passed it with flying colours!
