Within the teaching agency that I work for, “in-house” lessons refer to those conducted in the classrooms at our facility at the Central Festival shopping mall while “outside contract” lessons are those in the various schools around the province (and a few off-island). For the first year that I worked for this company, I did nothing but outside contract classes. My first in-house course was a group of four young adult women whom I taught in the evenings several times each week. One of those long-ago students has just gotten engaged.

From then on, I did a mix of teaching at the mall facility in the evenings, during weekends and holidays while spending the daytimes in a government school, often changing schools each year (sometimes each term) based on the needs of the school as other teachers returned to their home countries or went elsewhere. And, for several years, I taught exclusively in-house (mostly business courses) while also preparing for and managing various English camps and other events. I also did filled-in at different schools when the regular teachers were out sick or otherwise had to miss their classes.

When the agency was allowed to reopen a month or so ago with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, a tiny trickle of in-house students returned. I was quite thankful that my group of three 12-year-old girls came back for their two-hour class each Sunday and that my private (solo) student returned for a 90-minute lesson each Monday afternoon. While most students enroll for 30-hour blocks at a time, the latter student keeps paying for additional hours and so has nearly 230 hours remaining; she started with me about five years ago. She’s nine years old now. At this rate, I will remain her teacher at least until she finishes high school… or until I die.

I have also gained two groups of three students “inherited” from other teachers. I do not know why they changed teachers but I am happy to have them as well. I see three little girls (Prathom 1 level but from different schools) each Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon for one hour each day. They are quite cute but can be quite naughty at times. But, when it is time to work, they will work very hard and I never have to ask them to get their notebooks or textbooks out of their backpacks. I just started a new trio of young students last week for an hour on Thursdays. Only two came to the first lesson last week and they seemed quite pleasant. However, their former teacher told me the other day that when all three attend they are “little monsters” and will fight each other and yell at the teacher. Lovely!

Regardless of how naughty or not the “in-house” kids actually are, I am pleased to have the classes especially as I continue to wait for my school to fully reopen in one form or another. It’s a bit of income at a time when that is sorely needed. Even after I start going to school every day, I won’t mind coming to our mall facility for “one more hour” because I do enjoy the small groups of little kids. One day, the adults will return as well. And that is where I really shine….