The first trip

This was my first school trip as a supervisor and - apart from a compulsive need to count heads every few minutes - a practical demonstration of the non-teaching element of teaching, if that makes any sense at all. Not only the physical responsibility for the safety of your students, but also the fact that many of them are very obviously looking to you for a lead or to understand your own cultural values. And even those who don't seem to be probably are.

So how can a teacher be natural yet appropriate? I don't share or understand the cultures of many of my students so (maybe) I'm making horrible mistakes. And clearly there are the cynicisms and prejudices that cling to us like barnacles as we get older that I don't wish to inflict on them. I also don't want to be a friend (in the full sense) as there will be times I have to dictate. My strategies so far:

• Balance and honesty: applying the rule of saying two positive things before a negative wherever possible, but stand up for what I believe in
  
• Give a little: for overseas students especially, I am happy for them to understand a little of my personal life as they are probably experiencing the start of culture shock

And finally, moving a group of teens from 'A' to 'B' takes at least 25% longer than you might expect - loos, mobile phones and food appear to be a constant menace!