LO1-Identify their own strengths and develop areas for growth.

We, French speakers, are notorious for our obsessive and unforgiving grammar correcting impulses. Even when teaching a non-native speaker. These corrections are always meant in good faith but sometimes they come off wrong, mean and unnecessary.

Learning to hold back and constructively deliver corrections has been a crucial area for growth. I taught French but I learned collaborative work. I understood the hurdles our teachers have to jump through went teaching us anything and/or delivering ‘constructive’ criticism. I learned that there is a fine balance in showing someone their weak points and pushing them to achieve better outcomes. This nicely packed bundle of compliments and soft insults has to be delivered in an intricate manner.

I was able to quickly understand the situation my classmates were in. After all, I’m also a student living the exact same day. I adapted my response methods for when a student made a mistake. I waited until they finished their sentence. And provided an example, gave an explanation for why there was such a rule, and of course, never failed to mention how unnecessarily complicated French is.