You come from a family of educators, what inspired you to bring your love for education international with SEE TEFL?
After finishing high school the choice was made, not by me, but I accepted that I was going to be a teacher. It was challenging at first but I stepped into the role and really enjoyed it. After almost three years of teaching, I moved to New York where I worked in different industries but I always found myself teaching in some capacity. Sharing my knowledge is second nature to me, so when I was considering a career change and wanting to experience a different culture, teaching was the obvious choice. After a year of research I found SEE, registered for the 4-week TEFL course and moved to Thailand.
I love the work I do!
Describe a typical day of work for you as a Teaching Practice Observer.
A typical day is usually four to five hours from start to finish with as much as two hours traveling. We leave from SEE as a group (observers and trainees). When we get to the school we meet with the teachers and/or the school director to confirm the specifics for the day. We would then show the teacher trainees their assigned classrooms.
Once the trainees are settled, observers are assigned their trainees and that's pretty much the start to the day. We have three 30 to 50 minute teaching periods, and depending on the number of trainees an observer can observe—anywhere from three to five trainees.
Having foreign teachers is an exciting experience for the schools and they’re very appreciative. Some schools may have a welcome ceremony, serve us lunch, give a souvenir and take a group photo. It can be quite an eventful day. Once we’re done we travel back to SEE where we give group and individual feedback to the trainees.
What do you love most about your job?
It’s always a joy meeting new people. I love seeing how the trainees develop during their teaching practices. It's rewarding to contribute to their growth and development as teachers.
How have your own international experiences influenced your approach to your position?
There are many ways my experiences have influenced my approach to my position. After teaching in Thai classrooms for three years, I have a sense of what to look for and where the trainees need support the most.
I’ve come to appreciate the learning environment here and, systematically, coupled with the culture, it's just not stressful. Passing that on to the trainees is very valuable to how they approach their teaching practices. It frees them up to just teach and enjoy the experience.
Teamwork is part of the job
Why is Thailand an ideal location for TEFL training?
Thailand is a great location for TEFL training for many reasons, the most obvious being the weather. Overall it's a comfortable and very enjoyable location to go through an intensive four week course. The support system that SEE has in place is like no other. Jobs are quite easy to come by here so you can get to work rather soon after the course.
Last but not least are the people and their culture. The Thai people are super warm and friendly and there are lots of activities that create a welcoming environment that’s priceless, especially when one's so far away from home.
What are ideal qualities in a TEFL teacher?
Apart from the myriad of qualities—like being a good communicator, patient, friendly, warm adaptable, creative, fun, etc.—ideally one should be open to learning and evolving. When I say learning I don’t just mean academically, but also learning from your new environment. Being from a western country doesn’t automatically mean that your model is the best and whether you’re experienced or not, there’s always more out there, so drop the ego.
Lastly, it’s not about you, so don’t take things personally. You may not always get the outcome that you hoped for or intended, so let go of all expectations and attachments, stay open and flexible, and listen to your students. They will give you cues on your effectiveness. Don’t be afraid to learn from them.
Is there any advice, about travel or life, that influences your work that you would like to share with us?
I think that one of the most important things is to be culturally aware and be respectful. I’ve found that people are driven by their culture. If you take the time to learn about their environment your communication with them will be on a heartfelt level. This has helped me to understand my students and the teachers I’ve worked with. It has allowed me to form relationships with people in and outside of the school environment and enriched my overall experience.
As for life, I think what has helped me to perform well is being humble and generous. What I can give has taken precedence over may gains.
Why is SEE TEFL’s model effective and successful?
SEE’s three Ps model—presentation, practice, production—is rooted in M&D (modeling and drilling—repetition) and it’s very effective. The presentation is like a map for both teachers and students. The teacher guides the students through it providing the correct model of the target language and the students drill it back. During the practice stage the students produce the written and oral form of the target language with support from the teacher.
In the final stage, the students get the opportunity to produce the language independently with support and encouragement. Without a doubt, it delivers positive results for teachers and students. As a new EFL teacher it’s important to feel confident, accomplished, and competent. It’s really quite simple: you give the students what they need to be successful and vice versa—a real win-win situation.
What do you hope to see in the future for SEE TEFL?
I hope that they continue to contribute to the TEFL world and that they keep growing. They have produced a wonderful grade of confident and competent EFL teachers that can be great role models, contribute to the development of their students, and are well equipped to teach worldwide.
