Preparation Teaching TEFL

Things I wish I'd known before starting this course Life can be full of surprises and challenges where you least expect them. That is why I took this TESOL course. I firmly believe that one should always be prepared for any sudden change that may occur in one’s life circumstance such as changes in family, relationships or career. I initially signed up for this TESOL course with the hopes that one day, if I were to relocate to another country, I would have the ability to work anywhere with my tesol certificate. What I didn’t expect was how challenging this course would be and the time it would take me to complete each unit and worksheet. Perhaps I was a little too confident in my english and teaching abilities. You see, I have a University Bachelor’s degree in english and Communications. I taught english as a Second Language (ESL) for about two years, ten years ago. One of my colleagues who had a University teaching degree taught me everything I know to teach at all levels. The first time I stepped into a classroom alone and without guidance felt like a sink or swim scenario. I remember feeling quite intimidated when I taught my first class which happened to be a group of Beginners. However, when I look back at those two years, they were the most rewarding years of my career to date. Although I have natural teaching abilities, I always felt that I needed to learn how to better structure my lessons. The TESOL course provides all the necessary tools for a teacher to be very effective in a classroom. Had I known that there would be an intensive review of grammar and tenses and that I needed to originate teaching ideas, I would have probably dug up my old teaching materials. Unfortunately, they remained buried somewhere in my house and I was forced to exercise my internet research skills to refresh my knowledge of more challenging english grammar. In addition to becoming a research expert, I was also surprised at the amount of writing this course entails. As I am quite detailed oriented and conscientious of the work I submit, at times, I was discouraged as to the length of some of the units’ worksheets. However, I must admit that once the units on tenses were completed, the worksheets became a bit more manageable and I was able to fit homework in my busy life. I also found the DVD’s to be a nice addition to the course materials. It provided more variety and complimented the reading material very well. The course has definitely helped me become a better writer in my work as I am able to reflect on what I write and see my sentence structures through different lenses. The course has also provided me with insight about adult and younger learners and what approaches to take when teaching each group. While I was not even sure if I could get through this course I am grateful for my tutor’s flexibility and patience. The course has given me the motivation to further my studies and perhaps start a small business on the side where I will be able to provide teaching lessons to foreigners in my country. To quote M. K. Soni “A good teacher is a good student first. By repeating his lessons, he acquires excellence.” (Source: http://quotations.about.com/od/teachersday/a/teacherquotes2.htm)