World Teachers’ Day is a day to remember and celebrate the teachers that have made a big impact on our lives. It was launched in 1994 by the United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). It is celebrated annually on 5th October.
Here at English Path, we feel very lucky to have a wonderful teaching team. Read on to find out more about one of our teachers, Tom, and some of his teaching experiences.
What made you get into teaching, Tom?
Well, as soon as I finished University all the way back in 2011, I decided I wasn’t quite finished with studying. So, in September that year, I enrolled on a CELTA course at my local college. CELTA stands for Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults and my course was part-time, so it lasted just over 2 months. I learned a lot on the course, including language knowledge and practical teaching techniques. Although I thought I was quite introverted, I also discovered that I felt quite comfortable standing in front of a group and teaching a class. This was a great lesson to learn early on in my teaching career.
What experiences have you had teaching English?
My first teaching job as a fresh-faced 21-year-old was in Santiago, Chile. I would travel around the city in the mornings, lunchtimes and evenings and teach people in their offices. This was a great introduction to the world of teaching English. Since then, I have worked at summer schools that would welcome young learners from all over the world during their school holidays. I have spent most of my career teaching adult students in London, where I still live and work. I’ve taught general English classes, exam preparation classes, individual one-to-one lessons and more. Variety is the spice of life!
What have you enjoyed most about teaching English?
It might sound a bit obvious, but I feel lucky to have met so many great people from all over the world. I’ve taught for a long time, but no two lessons are the same. And this is down to the mix of students, from different cultures and backgrounds, that I’ve been fortunate to have in my classes. The job is also very rewarding. There is a huge sense of satisfaction when you help a student understand a complex grammar point, when you hear students in discussion using new vocabulary, and when a new student becomes more fluent and understandable because they’ve worked on their pronunciation.
What’s next for you and your teaching?
I’m feeling very positive about the future, and I am excited about the projects we are working on at English Path! I’ve just started my Delta, which is a Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. I’m really enjoying the course as it is very in-depth and I’m learning lots of theoretical and practical knowledge that I can apply in the classroom. The course is demanding, but I’m confident it will help me improve my teaching even more.