How to Organize Yourself When You Start Teaching English

A basic orientation chat for new English teachers about how to go about organizing your thinking when you get into teaching English.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• ESL
• EFL
• English
• teaching
• TEFL

[ateecher]

Hello MadridTeacher! I'm here in the USA, and I can tell you that our experiences are quite similar. You seem to have dropped the hint that summers and 'seasons' can be economically challenging?

Will the bureaucracy of the country you teach in allow teachers pay to be prorated, so that you can make it through the hard spots? Just a suggestion.

[MadridTeacher]

@ateecher Summers especially can be tough, even more so if you're freelance (autonomo) and not on a contract at a University, for example, where your pay might indeed be prorated. As an autonomo you can find your September classes cancelled at the last minute, which happened to me last year.

[mrdefkon1]

Your candidness I appreciated and it's your video, but it sounds like you need to quit teaching. When you said it's their problem if a student can't pick up the language because of what ever reason, then flip the script and imagine if you were having to learn a foreign language say in Germany, France or wherever so you could be employed over seas and make good money. I guarantee you would pick up on the teachers lack of empathy and the cold as ice mentality that you ALREADY possess.

[MadridTeacher]

@mrdefkon1 This post sounds "as cold as ice" as well so maybe you know where I'm coming from (it takes one to know one), and, ok, maybe you're right - maybe I do need to quit teaching students who won't study and learn (because they do have to do it and if not, they're wasting their time and money, and irritating the heck out of me in the process), but, as a matter of fact, I do love teaching students who take it seriously and these do learn, so I suppose I won't be quitting any time soon.

[mrdefkon1]

I am confused by your reply. In the first half you admitted that maybe I am right and you should quit teaching, so they don't have to irritate the heck out of you, then at the end you said you won't quit teaching. If you have lost the desire, or whatever, then do quit. It is that simple. They the ESL students are paying to learn an invaluable tool which in turn could help them contribute to us in the US because here in America we constantly outsource for foreign speakers as well.

[MadridTeacher]

@mrdefkon1 I haven't lost the desire to teach students who are serious about learning. Why are you confused? Is it because you're being a pain on purpose? There are all types of students (just like there are all types of humans) including those who love to irritate. By the way, not all students are paying to "learn" English. Some of them are paying just to pass and get a certificate, diploma, etc. And students don't just "study" English just to go to the U.S. They have all sorts of reasons.

[DIABETICLYSWEET]

@MadridTeacher

Funny you should mention that! I am an English teacher in Canada. The "no" was something my friend would often say, and she is actually Syrian. I picked it up from her. I hope everything is well with you!!

[Taiwandragon0828]

@f4567898 -continued. Basically whenever I needed to teach in certain areas of grammar, or whatever else. I look it up, refamiliarise myself with grammar usage. The thighere in Taiwan is try to lower your nervous level and look confident and relax. You're an actor in many ways. i been here 4 years, and I'm not a perfect( far from it. Remember, it's not the degree that makes the teacher, its the persons personality and confidence that does. Or everyone would need teaching degrees, right? Be you.

[Taiwandragon0828]

@f4567898 Hello, after working for a big company out of NYS, co-contracted through my little company; I was sent here to put together what parts I built for Corning Inc. Long story short. I decided to move here to be with my now wife. Low and behold, the only thing was to teach English. I'm a welder fabricator and went to a community college. I did know a thing, and some questions arised about my backround, 2 things. luckily, I worked with people im many areas. I research online, watch videos...

[MadridTeacher]

@talons2112 "Welcome to teaching bub. You're on your own! Sorry" That's just the way it is half the time. I gather you're working in a small, inexperienced academy because it's like they handed you a hot potato and just laughed when you got burned. But, they knew it was hot, right? F@ck 'em! is what I would say. You're all in this together and I blame them for what has happened, not you. They're supposed to be experienced enough to know that they can't hand a job like that over to a new teacher.