As an Anglophone in Montréal, I’ve always had a second language in my life, but growing up in an English neighborhood, I spoke very little French.  We didn’t speak it at home. I went to an English school and all my friends were English. As a youth, the only place I practiced French was in the classroom, and that wasn’t enough to build confidence, let alone fluency.

Fast forward into my twenties: I’m teaching English to French speaking business professionals, encouraging them to have the courage to make mistakes and practice with every English speaker they can. And yet, I knew very well that in my everyday life, I avoided speaking more French than necessary because I was worried I might look foolish. 

The irony was not lost on me. Eventually I realized if I wanted my teaching to be authentic, I’d have to get back to practicing my French. I started in small ways, doing things like ordering my coffee, talking to waiters, and interacting with store clerks even when I knew I would make a mistake. 

But then, I actually practiced what I had been teaching my students. When I wasn’t sure, I asked people if I had spoken correctly and I started using the first sentence (which I discuss here). It didn’t take long for my French to start improving. My confidence grew, and I could begin giving my students advice with a little more integrity. Mission accomplished. But, what surprised me was how actively practicing my French changed my relationship with my students.

I’ll be honest. There have been times when I’ve lost my patience, become frustrated and thought that a student wasn’t putting in the effort: I had forgotten what it was like to be on the other side. 

But when I got back to practicing my French, I once again felt the frustration of being a second language learner, and it allowed me to empathize. I remembered how difficult it was to  approach a stranger in your second language. I knew the aggravation of forgetting what seemed ‘simple’ for a native speaker. In short, I could once again relate to the challenges my students were facing, and it reminded me that whether you’re a teacher or a student, you need to have patience. It’s fundamental.

I’m not saying that I don’t still get frustrated. Of course I do! I’m human and so are my students. Frustration is inevitable. But actively practicing a second language helped me remember that it isn’t easy. That knowledge keeps me humble, patient, and allows me to teach with greater integrity, which I believe makes me a more effective teacher.