When interacting with the other volunteers, I noticed that the vast majority of them are part of a specific program and already know each other from before the internship. When they get to know me and why I am there with them at Tyndale often suprises them because it is a very odd place to do an internship for a language program. The volunteers are very nice people as you would expect from volunteers such organization and are also polite, they greet each other with a "Hi" or "How are you?" which is no different from what people would use in French.
The main difference between being in a classroom in Cégep André-Laurendeau and being in a classroom at Tyndale's St-George's Community Center is that at André-Laurendeau I am there to learn only and at Tyndale I am there to learn, teach and observe. Acquiring a new language through a traditionnal structured classroom does allows me to learn through various activities which are suited for the entire classroom and not specifically for me. On the other hand, at Tyndale, I decide how the content is used and adapted for the needs of a single student. Teaching specific content in English allows me to make the use of vocabulary I don't normally use and therefore to practice speaking English. Tutoring allows me to think of how the content will be used and what will the effects of the activity be. If I am to specifially teach English to a francophone kid, it will affect my choice of words and the flow of my voice, etc. It makes me think not only what the student needs to learn but also how will he learn and fully understand it. The only challenge I've faced is when a kid doesn't want to do his homework and stops working to mess with the other kids but that usually doesnt last long.
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