This past Friday marked my second acoustic concert in Bar le Saint Melaine, though this time without the disco lights! My friend Georgia sang with me on four songs, including my original tune Liza Ray, and considering we only had two rehearsals it went very well. This time a big group of Spanish teaching assistants came out, as well as some good friends from Rennes. I think it's safe to say that no banjo player in a bow-tie and suspenders has ever graced this bar before. There is still so sound equipment, though he says he will get some. I intend to look into playing elsewhere as well.
Teaching is going pretty well, though it can be a bit dull sometimes. I did the same introductory lesson for a new class yesterday that I've probably done 15 times now. I'm getting pretty good at it! Since most of the classes I see regularly are divided into small groups and I am assigned work to do with them, I plan lessons for relatively few classes. I've probably been using the same 6 lessons or so for months now. I do have a small group I see every Tuesday now that will give me an opportunity to be more creative. I have noticed while doing the same lesson for many different classes how varied a class's response can be to what I am doing! Sometimes a particular lesson works great with one group, and is a complete flop with another. It just shows me that if something doesn't go well it isn't necessarily that I am doing a poor job. I do, however, think that it's very important as a teacher to read your students and try to adjust in order to connect with them.
This weekend Lizzie and I lucked out as her employers were driving up to Saint Malo for the day, and offered to give us a ride! It was nice for me to return as it has been nearly two years, and it was Lizzie's first time visiting the fortified coastal city. I should have pictures up soon! I finally have the brakes fixed on my bike, and now Lizzie has one as well, so as the weather turns I'm sure I will take advantage of the canal by my school more and more. We rode into town and back along it yesterday, and spotted some very large rodents swimming around after dark. It was hard to get a good look, but we've decided they were probably muskrats.
On that note, I had better get ready for class. Happy Tuesday!
