Staff Interview with Kristyna Bulova

What inspired you to join the Prague TEFL team?

I really enjoy working in a multicultural environment, so I was really excited to work with people from all over the world. I also have good organizational skills and I like helping people which is useful because working as a TEFL coordinator allows me to combine these skills on a daily basis.

Why do you think Prague TEFL is different from other TEFL courses?

What I appreciate the most about Prague TEFL is that it is a family-run business, so working here you really feel like a part of a family. Everybody is very supportive and helpful.

We also keep the groups rather small so the trainees get a lot of attention from the trainers and our staff.

What is most unique about Prague TEFL is that we organize observed teaching practice of adults in different levels and young learners as well. It is a very fast growing area and we believe it is important for the trainees to get hands-on experience with children as well.

What does a typical day of work look like for you?

I usually come to the office around 8:00 a.m. so I can check my emails and do some administrative tasks. The trainees start coming around 9:00 a.m., and their first session starts at 10:00 a.m., so they usually come to see me in-between so we can discuss anything they might need from me, or vice versa.

During the sessions I work on my usual tasks - emails, admin, marketing, social media, etc. When it comes closer to the teaching practice in the afternoon, I have to make sure everything is ready and everybody (trainees, trainers, TP students) is where they should be and knows what to do.

What I like about this job is the flexibility that I sometimes work traditional 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. office hours, but there is a lot of out of office work and out of office hours as well. For example, I have the welcome dinner with the trainees, take them on trips, social events or join them for the tour around Prague before the course starts, so I can get to know them even before they enter the classroom.

How do you use your own experience in language teaching and methodology in your current role?

I find it very useful as a TEFL coordinator because I can support the trainees when they struggle with some language or methodology issues. The knowledge of the industry is extremely useful for communication with TEFL applicants since they usually do not know anything about the TEFL industry in the Czech Republic. I am able to provide them with important information and share my personal experiences with them.

What makes Prague such a great place to earn TEFL certification?

Prague is a great location because it is very affordable, the climate is mild, and the beer is the best! The city is really beautiful any time of the year and there are always a variety of events to attend so you never get bored. You can never get enough!

You have quite a bit of travel experience under your belt, so what is your best travel tip for incoming or prospective participants?

I really love the fact that Prague, being in the heart of Europe, enables travelers to visit the rest of Europe with very little cost and time. You can get to Austria or Germany in four hours by bus, and it costs you less than 20 EUR. Most of the US expats that I know in Prague do a lot of traveling around Europe because they can just spend a few hours on a bus and then experience a different culture, language, and lifestyle.

I have a friend from Texas who managed to visit all the European capitals during his two years stay in Prague. He was amazed because in Texas when you drive your car for four hours and you do not reach another country, you are still in Texas.

It’s not just the traveling around Europe, there are beautiful places here as well. Český Krumlov and Kutná Hora are both on the list of UNESCO heritage sites, and there are great places for hiking, such as Českosaské Švýcarsko or Hřensko.

How do you support TEFL students throughout their stay in Prague?

I basically help them with anything they need which covers organizational, academic, or personal issues. I am in touch with every person from the very beginning when I receive their application. I help them get through the application process, and once they are accepted I assist them with accomodation and all their pre-arrival arrangements.

During the course I am kind of their mum/best friend. The trainees usually come to see me first when they need help or advice. Sometimes I help with some unusual requests, such as organizing weekend trips around Europe for students from Uzbekistan who only had the chance to be in Europe this once and wanted to explore as much as possible. Another time I ordered lunch for one student from India everyday since she was vegetarian and really liked having lunch from one particular place that did not have English speaking staff.

I enjoy organizing leisure time activities for the trainees so I often take them for beers, show them around Prague, or organize weekend trips for them.

Where do most TEFL graduates end up after completing their course?

Because we are running a long-established language school, the trainees who want to stay and teach in Prague after completing the course are usually immediately hired by us or recommended to our partner language schools. I would say that around 40% of graduates stay in the Czech Republic to teach. The rest either go back home to share their new experience there or go to teach somewhere else abroad. The most popular destination is probably Asia; mainly China, Japan, and Thailand.

What do you love most about working for TEFL Prague?

I love that even though this is my job and these are my responsibilities, I often feel like I am just helping my friends. I am still in touch with all the people I have met during the TEFL courses and many of them became my friends in “real life”.

Is there anything exciting in the works this year that prospective TEFL students should know about?

We are planning to provide online and combined versions of TEFL as well because it is getting more and more popular. We still believe that in-class TEFL is the best option because it really prepares you for the job. On the other hand, there are many people that already have diplomas in education or that have teaching experience and they just want to keep themselves updated or improve their methodology skills.