Staff Interview with Lindsey Gatlin

What inspired you to work for your organization?

I was inspired to work for this organization because of the courses that they offered for their students. They offered classes for SAT, GRE, and GMAT which allowed me to not only teach English but math as well. Now after being with this organization, I have transitioned from being a teacher to more of the administrative side, and it has provided me with invaluable experiences.

Describe a typical day at work.

First thing I do when I come into work is grab a coffee. I usually arrive 15-30 minutes before my first class where I prepare and print all my materials for the day. During class I try and challenge students and provide them with enough material to learn and succeed. Any free time during my scheduled classes, I spend preparing and accumulating materials or assisting with any administrative process needed for our current and prospective TEFL students.

Why do you do what you do?

I was a high school teacher in the United States, where I started as a substitute day-to-day sub. I really enjoyed being in the classroom and I liked connecting with students inside the class and outside of class on the soccer field. Here at Exam Madrid, I can continue to teach students who have very specific education and career goals. Moving to a different country and beginning your life abroad is a huge step. It is rewarding to be a part of that process.

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of the job is interacting with students that I have spoken with on the phone or have had a video conference call. I enjoy seeing the whole process and transition that the student has had to go through in order to begin their teaching journey here in Spain.

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

On the exam preparation side I think that my education and international background plays an important role, because either as a student athlete or prospective graduate student. I have been in the shoes that my students have been in and I think that it provides me with a great insight to what my students could feel or obstacles that they could face. On the TEFL side, I was also in the shoes of our students. I came to Spain to teach English and understand the challenges that that could provide.

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

Every now and then I face obstacles in the form of scheduling and ensuring that my class is meeting every student's needs. I overcome them by trying my best to be proactive as well as checking in with my students consistently to make sure that they feel that their needs are being met.

What are some current projects you are working on?

Currently, I am working with our instructors on designing and implementing new course material for all of our courses. In addition, on the TEFL side we are working on informational videos for all of our prospective TEFL students to provide the best customer service that we can.

What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?

I would tell my pre-travel self, to speak with more people when you travel and to not be so apprehensive about traveling alone here in Europe. It is really safe and I travel solo around Spain.

What makes your organization special?

I think that our team and our flexibility with students along with our small class sizes makes our organization special. More than a decade of experience.

Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?

I think that students should choose our organization because our team is constantly trying to provide better services to our students whether it be in the classroom or outside assisting them to navigate their new life in Spain.

What hopes do you have for the future for your organization?

I hope that our organization can continue to grow and build our reputation as a TEFL academy here in Madrid and around the world, more programs means more destinations and double the fun.

Are there any developments with your organization that you would like to share with us?

Currently, we are in the process of developing another tier of customer service in order to serve our students better and some courses online and a TEFL app.

What makes your organization easy to market to potential participants?

I think that our flexibility as well as our staff make our organization easy to market. Our head TEFL instructor provides amazing classes as well as our ability to communicate with students about any doubts that they may have.

What is your organization's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?

Our mission is to assist students in changing their career in another country. For our TEFL students this is a life changing decision and must be navigated with our care. Our organization hopes to set our students up on a path to success as English teachers.

What do you hope participants take away from your programs?

I hope our participants take away valuable lessons in how to teach English, how to prepare lessons for a variety of students and levels, and to manage a class. In addition, I hope that students take alway a sense of camaraderie with their fellow classmates and a feeling of belonging within the TEFL Madrid family.

How do you help support participants?

We help support participants from the moment that they inquire about our program. We answer any doubts or questions that they may have. After they have been accepted, we assist with travel management and the visa process, if needed. We provide resources for accommodation as well as services once they arrive in Madrid. Our teachers are prepared to answer any question that they may have and most continue to have a relationship with our staff even after the program has ended.

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

Selfishly speaking, I would take my own course to see how it is from the students perspective. Otherwise I would take another teachers exam preparation course to see how well I would fare.

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

For the TEFL students, it is common to receive questions about the visa process and accommodation here in Madrid. We have several resources that we provide to students to answer these questions and do our best to respond in a timely manner. Furthermore, we follow-up with students to make sure that we have successfully answered their question or to provide further assistance. For our exam preparation courses, our most frequent question is about course structure or what they can expect from classes. Our classes are structured in a specific way for each exam prep course and we provide a few details to give our students confidence that they are in good hands.

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

I think it is important for students to travel abroad because it can expand how you see the world. You start to look at your surroundings differently and you start to feel connected to people and places that you may have never encountered otherwise.

Why do you think learning a new language is important?

I think that learning a new language is essential today. The world is becoming smaller through the internet or other various media. However, even with this by learning a new language, you give yourself the opportunity to communicate and interact with people and to exchange ideas and experiences.

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

I think that the best advice I could give, is to be open to new experiences and to embrace the culture and place that you choose to travel to. Try new foods, do things differently, meet new people.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

I think meaningful travel is all about embracing the culture and connecting with people. A new perspective can make all the difference. Blend in and flow.

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?

I think that in the world of international education, the largest issue that I see is that of availability. I think educational relationships can thrive through diversity, however I understand that the ability to be a part of the international education community can be difficult to be a part of when resources are limited.

What does ethical global engagement mean to you?

I think that ethical global engagement means to assist in situations where the lives or well-being of people and/or the environment are being threatened. However, I think it is important to understand the capacity of your level of engagement. I think that the engagement forms of awareness and allyship are undervalued.

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

I hope that I can continue to gain experience in the field of international education as well as work with staff and students from around the world. This is a lifestyle.

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

I think that the two most important qualities in program and host community relations are friendliness, reliability and connections. We are well connected with Schools and language institutes in Spain, therefore, we can guarantee job facilitation.