Why did you choose the International TEFL Academy?
Daniela: I chose International TEFL Academy because the course was offered online, which was convenient for me. I also liked the fact that we had to do 20 hours of volunteer because it allowed me to gain experience whilst at the same time giving me a perspective of what teaching English would be like.
How did the course prepare you for teaching abroad?
Daniela: International TEFL Academy helped and supported me in finding schools in Florence. They also gave me encouragement when I was doubting myself in finding a teaching position in Florence. The course itself helped me prepare what to expect for teaching abroad, for example, the different types of students I would encounter (their levels) and what type of materials to use and how to prepare for lessons.
Describe your day to day activities as a teacher?
Daniela: I normally prepare my lessons the day before so I'm prepared. My lessons depend on the needs of my students because they are all at different levels. I try to incorporate a game or something fun to keep the students interested. I sometimes use some of my lessons as examples from the course. The school where I teach is a private English school and my classes are usually one on one, which I find easier than having to teach a classroom of students with different levels. The only downfall is that I have to prepare a lot of lessons and I use a lot of different material so it's inevitable that I prepare in advance. I also teach employees at companies, which is also one-on-one or the most groups of 3. In order to prepare myself, I had to do some research on the type of business and topics they use at their work so I incorporate lessons based on topics of their type of work.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Daniela: Professionally, when or if I return to my career as a Clinical Informatics Trainer at a hospital, I plan on using ideas from the lessons I use for teaching English and make my lessons at the hospital more fun; incorporate games to keep it interesting as sometimes the doctors and residents tend to fall asleep half way through my lessons.
What is one piece of advice you would give to those thinking about pursuing a TEFL certificate?
Daniela: Never give up and always give yourself credit because your students appreciate your skills and you're both helping them as well as yourself achieve their goals. Also, you're not only gaining a certificate, but amazing life experiences!