What is your favorite travel memory?
It is tough to pick just one as I have so many incredible travel memories to choose from. One that comes to mind is a trip I took about 12 years ago. I was presenting at an educational conference in San Francisco and decided to extend my stay with an overnight trip to Yosemite National Park. As the tour bus steadily climbed, I started to wonder if we would ever reach our destination. Finally, we reached our first stop, an overlook from which we could see El Capitan looming in the distance - what a sight! Then we drove into the park itself, and seeing the falls for the first time just completely took my breath away. The sheer beauty and grandeur of everything at Yosemite was truly overwhelming.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Prior to joining CIEE TEFL, I had about 10 years of experience designing and teaching asynchronous online courses at the university level. However, helping develop and teaching these courses for CIEE TEFL has helped me stay up-to-date in the TEFL field, everything from content to strategies for teaching online. The live tutorials have also given me an opportunity to engage effectively with students in a synchronous format, something I had not done in previous online courses.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
One of my students mentioned that she previously completed a TEFL training course, yet she really struggled once she stepped into a real EFL classroom. She shared that she learned much more through the CIEE TEFL 150-Hour Certificate course and felt significantly better prepared for the job this time.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
If I could go on any CIEE program, I'd pick the TEFL program without a doubt. As a teacher trainer and a TEFL professional, I've had the opportunity of working closely with it for over 10 years. I am certain that it equips students with a solid foundation and a comprehensive toolkit to confidently embark on their EFL teaching adventure. If I were starting my TEFL journey over, I'd definitely consider this program.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
One common frustration with asynchronous online courses is the lack of genuine connection – people often feel isolated from instructors and other students, despite discussion boards and assignments. That's why I think one of the standout strengths of our TEFL course, and what makes us unique, is our optional weekly live tutorial. These dynamic, live sessions offer instructors and students opportunities to connect as they discuss module content, and all instructors to share real-world anecdotes from their own TEFL experiences. It is also a dedicated time for instructors to explain upcoming assignments and address any student concerns and questions. This added human touch and opportunity for authentic interaction is definitely a major value-added feature that sets our course apart.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
I believe one of the biggest factors in being a successful company is being adaptable to changing times and changing markets. Being adaptable requires having a leadership team that is receptive to feedback from clients and employees and demonstrates flexibility in their decision making. Beyond that, a successful company fosters an environment where employees feel respected and valued. When staff feel genuinely respected, they are motivated to contribute ideas that drive innovation, and ultimately, help the company navigate those changes successfully.