Take TEFL, I say!

Maximo Nivel's TEFL course in Guatemala was spectacular! I learned that is possible to be completely yourself while teaching. You don't have to keep a facade to seem a higher person because you're not a higher person. You're just a teacher, and what would you be without your students? A person with markers and a lot of grammar knowledge. That was something that made me very uncomfortable about teaching--that you stand at the board, everything centers around you and what you say. But, now I've been introduced to student-centered learning. I've taken a breath of fresh air. It's a beautiful thing. The students believe that you're teaching them, but really you're just guiding them. They're teaching themselves, and each other. You just gave them the opportunity and the materials. I love that. It's a beautiful way to see teaching. I learned that you can teach in so many different ways, and still be effective. In fact, the difference in teachers' teaching styles is beneficial to students. If all they see is one style, that's all they'll know, and all they'll learn.