(Image Source: http://oecdeducationtoday.blogspot.gr/2012/03/teachers-summit-highlights-need-for.html)
My name is Angelos Bollas and I am about to start a CELTA course at CELT International Teacher Development Centre.
Even though I have been working for 8 years as an on and offline English Language Teacher in Greece and the UK, I realised that I was in need of formal teacher training. Not only have I faced difficulties in my job all these years, but also I have just come up with a very serious issue: when I decided to start a blog about language education, I had nothing to write about. or so I thought.
For the last two weeks, I have been preparing for my CELTA course. Other than grammar revisions and clarifications, I have started studying books and journals on methodology, classroom management, teacher development, and so many other issues the names of which I did not know even though I was "using" some of them.
At first, I thought really weird about it; yet, now, I believe that it is only natural that this would happen. Being too involved with something, does not allow room for reflection, not to mention evaluation. It is the same thing that native speakers face when they are asked to explain a language issue. Most of my native-speaker friends (who are not teachers) cannot define the term "Present Simple." The same happened with me when I asked my self to describe my way of teaching. "My way of teaching is my way of teaching and in order for anyone to find out more about it, s/he should attend one of my classes," this is what I believed.
However, reading through various ELT methodology books, I realised that my inability to describe/define my teaching practice was because it was nothing well thought or consistent for that matter. It is quite important for me to pause for a while and let other observe and comment on my job. After all, this is the only way to ensure that one improves in the field that s/he is passionate about.
Needless to say that I am very pleased with my choice to go through teacher training after having spent some years in actual classroom teaching. I think that my professional experience will give me plenty food for thought and reflection.
6 days are left.. I wish me good luck!
2 comments:
Θα το λατρέψεις το course! Μοναδική εμπειρία, για μένα ήταν κάτι πρωτόγνωρο που με ταξίδεψε σε μονοπατια που ποτέ μου μέχρι τώρα δεν είχα περπατήσει. Πολύ ενδιαφέροντα βρήκα τα input sessions αλλά και τις γραπτές δοκιμασίες. Αν μπορώ να σε βοηθήσω σε οτιδήποτε αφορά το course, μη διστάσεις να μου πείς. Το ολοκλήρωσα πρόσφατα και σκόραρα Grade:A! Σου εύχομαι ολόψυχα καλή επιτυχία!!! :-) :-)
Thank you so much kostas kemparis! It is so great to listen to such great things from an alumnus. It means a lot!
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