Staff Interview with Allen Adam

What inspired you to work for TEFL Madrid Academy?

I think that one of the big things that inspired me to work for the organization was the people that I was going to work with. Everyone was very welcoming, and were happy to acclimate me to the demands of the job.

Describe a typical day at work.

When I come in, one of the first things that I do is check my work email to see if any of my students submitted an independent writing task. I read and edit their work quickly before class starts. When the students enter the class, we begin practicing the various sections of the TOEFL exam. Each class is two hours long, and I have two or three classes per day.

Why do you do what you do?

I take great pleasure in helping people succeed. I’m glad that I have a skillset that helps people achieve their goals, whether it’s academic or professional. When I hear that this student or that student was able to make it into a graduate program, or was able to get a job, I’m always encouraged to continue helping the community to the best of my ability.

What is your favorite part of your job?

The people that I work with, and the students I meet. The truth is, I don’t think that there is an aspect of my job that I don’t like. When I’m not teaching, I’m producing content for the academy. If I’m not doing something as an educator, I’m doing something as a creator.

How do you use your education and international background in your current role?

I used to be a creative writer, so to be able to use writing to help stimulate students into creating language independently is something that I task myself with on a regular basis. I love using exercises that employ word formation and paraphrasing. The students are able to call upon the skills they already have to form words that they didn’t think they would understand. Then they actively use said grammar and vocabulary when they’re practicing for exams.

What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?

Every so often, I get a student who doesn’t have an English level that is necessary for getting a good mark on the TOEFL. When these students come in, I try to show them the easiest way to be able to explain concepts. Repeat, then Answer, then Explain. When people explain, use the simplest language possible (Present simple, because that’s the verb form that is normally used when people state facts). If it works, they are able to jump through one hurdle. If it doesn’t, they know the skills they need to learn before coming back to me.

What are some current projects you are working on?

I’m working on a couple of projects with the academy. I’m developing my skills with SEO and producing a lot of content. I completed a few courses, and I’m also helping the school develop their online presence.

What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?

I don’t think I would give any advice to my pre-travel self. At some point, that person eventually learned that there is a big, wide world out there, and the possibilities are endless. It’s the person that I am right now. 

What makes TEFL Madrid Academy special?

It’s been a while since I’ve done something creative with my vocation. When I was working security back in Toronto, I had plenty of opportunities to do some writing, but never in the form of a creative assignment. I like that I’m able to do a job that I enjoy, while creating as an artist. I feel that TE Madrid gives me the chances that I need to grow as a professional.

Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?

There are many ways to teach the English language, and there are many forms of the English class. At TE Madrid, we focus more on Exam Preparation, and the method that we prepare students is through constant and consistent practice. We care about the progress of our students, and we like to make sure that they always keep themselves busy. I always like to have a line of communication with my students to let them know that I’m monitoring their progress even when we don’t have classes. In that respect, I think it’s important to know where students need to grow, and to hone the strengths that they have.

What hopes do you have for the future for TEFL Madrid Academy?

I think that there are a lot of areas where we’re ahead of the competition. We’re always producing content and keeping ourselves relevant. We’re providing a service that is cognizant of the change that is coming, and we’re always adapting to that change. I, for one, like that I can begin to challenge my creativity with whatever new project I am assigned. 

Are there any developments with TEFL Madrid Academy that you would like to share with us?

I do know that we hope to expand and deliver our programs in more ways than one. How do we intend to do that? I can’t and won’t spoil the surprise.

What makes TEFL Madrid Academy easy to market to potential participants?

TE Madrid is located within arms reach of various educational facilities, making it accessible for students going into any vocation to look to us for their professional or educational development. I know that the bulk of my students go to these schools, and I like that this was made a little easier for them.

What is TEFL Madrid Academy’s mission and how do you continue to work toward it?

Our mission is to help students achieve their respective certification through practice and persistence. I do it by keeping an open and honest line of communication with my students.

What do you hope participants take away from your programs?

Whether students come from overseas to participate in the TEFL Program, or they come from around the corner to come into my TOEFL class, I hope that they see that we are an academy that works together to not only help the students, but also to help each other. That gungho dynamic is something I’m proud to show them, and I hope will convince them that TE Madrid is the place to go to achieve your goals.

How do you help support participants?

I make sure that they are as comfortable with the TOEFL exam as possible. Pressure can certainly do a number on even the most talented of students, so I get them comfortable with that pressure so that they have absolutely no problem with the real thing. They’ll go in, and realize that they have done the TOEFL exam many times before.

If you could participate in one of your organization's programs, where would you go and what would you do?

There are various programs that leap to mind, but I’m always one who wants to enhance my awareness, knowledge and understanding of more academic vernacular, so I would love to sit down through a GRE or GMAT class. I would do this to convey a passion for not only being a teacher, but also being a student as well. I’m still learning myself, after all. I believe that the more I learn, the more of an expert I will become, the more students will trust me with their attention.

What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?

Students come in with a certain goal in mind, and they do want to know if they’ll be able to achieve a certain mark in the TOEFL. I always like to remind people that I don’t guarantee results. All I do is help them practice. I don’t pretend to guarantee results because I don’t want our relationship to be tainted by a false promise.

Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?

We don’t understand anything beyond our own line-of-sight, so I say expand that, or at least go beyond what you understand to not only see what differences lay beyond the horizon, but also the things that we have in common with each other. It’s great to see that in people as a Teacher living in Spain.

Why do you think learning a new language is important?

We may get glimpses of certain cultures through pictures, articles, news stories or word-of-mouth. The first true contact that one has with a culture is with language. Canada is a melting pot of cultures, and when people go there, they do what they can to integrate, but they also bring an essential piece of themselves to the mix. I am proud to be a Canadian, and as a Canadian living in Spain, I understand that being able to communicate with the Spanish is an important part of societal integration.

What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?

The best way to find out if going abroad is for you is to do it. Most people don’t get the opportunity. Some people see the wonder in it. Others discover that it was a waste of time, and they prefer the creature comforts of their own neighborhoods. They won’t know that unless they experience the good side and the bad side of travelling.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

It simply means that I will gain experiences, good and bad, that I’ll never forget. I’ll meet people that I never expected. I’ll go to places I wouldn’t otherwise have heard of, and I’ll look back on my life truly grateful to have been here.

What issues do you see in the world of international education that don’t line up with your values and expectations for mutually beneficial and educational relationships between providers/programs and the communities in which they are located within?

One of the things that I noticed here in Spain is that the public school system is bypassing various important language tests in students’ development. Instead of going from A2 to B1 (Beginner to Low Intermediate), they’re going from A2 to B2 (Beginner to Upper Intermediate). I absolutely do not condone this move because there are various skills that need to be learned at the B1 level that can only be improved at the B2 level, so pressuring students the way they are is not how I would approach a child’s development. If a student is certified at an A2 level, I will teach them the skills required for them to reach a B1. I wouldn’t fast-track a student’s language journey.

What does ethical global engagement mean to you?

There are various types of traveler, and I’ve seen a few of them. Many go to a place to have ‘that kind of epic party’, and they end up leaving behind a mess. They don’t make an attempt to appropriately communicate with the locals they meet. For me, ethical global engagement means learning, at the very least, a few phrases to help you speak with locals, clean up after yourself, respect that you’re not in your home country, and don’t add to the growing sentiment of people in over-traveled places that visitors will only bring problems. We expect them to adapt to us if they come to our countries, so I say that we should adapt now that we’re in theirs. It’s only fair.

What hopes do you have for the future of international education?

The need for the English language is only growing, and becoming requisite in various professions (Government, Law, Aviations, Medical, Education, and Retail). English teaching is something that will grow over time. It’s one thing that is unifying the world, and I’m happy to at least be doing my part in that integration.

What qualities in program and host community relations are important to you? (And your organization?)

It’s certainly a difficult thing to take that first step out your door. You don’t know where life will take you, or how it will treat you. When people take their TEFL Course here in Madrid, the first thing that they experience is that they’re in a classroom with other people who are in the same position as you. I think that’s very important to me. I know that I don’t particularly like to do certain things believing that I’m alone in doing them. With regards to community relations, having a similar routine even in another language still has its charm, and it’s one of those things that makes me feel welcome as a Teacher living in Madrid. I like it.