My Time in CIEE TEFL

After graduating from Temple with a degree in Chinese, I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do. Add in the complications of a worldwide pandemic, and I was stuck at home with a degree I didn't know what to do with, and a part-time job at my university that could and probably would end soon.

Even in the before times, before the pandemic, I was interested in becoming a teacher. Possibly a Mandarin teacher in the United States, or maybe an English teacher in China. As I thought about what to do, I came to the idea that I should get a TEFL certificate. That way, I would have the certification to at least teach English, and I could potentially get a job being an online teacher, both to save up some money and gain experience so that when the world opened up again, I would be able to be a teacher.

The decision to pick CIEE was an easy one. I had already went through CIEE to study abroad in Beijing in 2018, and I had an amazing time. It also helped that as an alum, I got a discount on tuition. So, I signed up for CIEE.

The course itself was entirely online, with weekly video meetings, and assignments that were due on certain days. This is where I began to run into problems; I have ADHD, which makes it quite difficult for me to regulate my time and stay on task. I began to fall behind.

To my immense relief and eternal gratitude, CIEE was more than helpful. After emailing and discussing my situation with the professor, I got accommodations to assist me in my work. I know it's often said that places of learning "want you to succeed," but it's never been more obvious with CIEE. They truly went above and beyond to help me, and I will always recommend it!

Of course, I did have to put in the work. None of CIEE's accommodations would have helped me if I didn't put in the work myself to catch up. They will help you get to where you need to be, but they will not help you float by with minimal effort.

The professors were kind and always answered any questions we had about the material. The material itself was easy to understand, if a bit tedious to work through. The course is designed so that wherever you end up teaching, you will have the tools needed.

I feel that I learned many things that will help me in my journey to become a language teacher, and for anyone considering the same, whether it's a passion for language or a resume builder, I recommend getting certified through CIEE!