It's Official!

 

Can't wait to show off.

It's officially official: I have my CELTA certificate in hand! Soon it will be framed and hung up in my office, sharing space with my ever increasing (if somewhat chaotic) library, compression gloves for repetitive stress injury, many ink pens and Sharpies, a large supply of notebook paper, my journals, and my embroidery supplies. Oh, and Sammy the Badger, my intrepid mascot. 

I am also working to get Limmud Anglit off the ground. Web design is not proving easy, and I will need to find assistance with this. Fortunately I have found an agency that helps small businesses in my situation get started. They assist with bureaucracy, finding accountants and attorneys, and marketing. I have applied for assistance; I should know within a month if I am approved. 

Meanwhile, I almost miss CELTA. I can say truthfully that while I have rarely worked harder, I can also say truthfully that I have rarely felt happier.

I haven't been idle, though, since the course ended. I am working on my professional development plan. I am also studying Hebrew and Russian. 

I remain optimistic about the future of Limmud Anglit. So keep watching this space!

At The Finish Line

I have completed my CELTA training. I really look back with nostalgia on some things: my third lesson (which is when I feel I really started to get teaching), my LSRT (which was hard work, but when I really got designing a reading lesson), and any and all feedback sessions with my colleague and teammate Dimitra, who was an amazing teacher and provided wonderful support. 

CELTA really does train your way of thinking. One of the items on the screamingly funny "You Know You're A CELTA Trainee When..." webpage is that you constantly think of ways to include the media you consume in a lesson.

Um, that's not a joke.

Seriously, last night I was thinking of ways I could structure a lesson around one of my favorite Joni Mitchell songs ("Little Green," if you're curious). When I had to teach contrastive speech, I seriously considered using Monty Python's "Argument Clinic." This applies to other disciplines as well, by the way. One of my friends who teaches American government uses George Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" in his section on the first amendment. In my American government class, we watched the film Absence of Malice during our unit on defamation law. Authentic materials are the bread and butter and meat of teaching.

I think the most important thing I learned from CELTA was how to think like a good teacher. Always asking myself how I can make things better for my students. That was the most valuable thing of all.

Thank you.

Q & A.

Part of my action plan for professional development was to talk to people who have learned English as a foreign language about their English learning experience. Since people in Israel who learned English as a foreign language are not exactly thin on the ground, the difficult part involved coming up with the right questions. I know what I want to know...but how do I elicit that knowledge from the people I'm surveying? (Anyone commenting "CCQ" - I will find you.)

Luckily I have a precious resource right in my own home. My husband, Eyal, learned English as a foreign language. I asked him to read over my survey. He suggested a few changes, and I wrote the final draft. Now I'm finding folks willing to spend a few minutes telling me about their English language learning experience. To simplify matters, I put the whole thing into Google Forms. Very useful, Google Forms. My next project will be a survey to give to English language teachers. 

This probably won't be a one-off, either. Professional development is a continuing thing, and I need to learn what prospective students need and want. I also need to know what teachers are saying and experiencing. 

It's funny that I spent about half my life - literally - focused on formulating answers. Now I'm focused on asking questions. 

Questions are harder.

The Care & Feeding Of A Teacher

It's often stated, but can't be emphasized enough - put your own oxygen mask on before helping others.

As my days in CELTA draw to a close, and I look at the journey of my action plan plus preparations for starting my own English language teaching business, I have to think about what keeps me sane. Self-care is a term that has unfortunately acquired a slew of negative connotations - among them, "avoidance" and "indulgence." In reality, self-care is exactly what keeps us sane. It has nothing to do with avoidance (if you're properly caring for yourself, you can confront your problems), and it has nothing to do with indulgence (if you're caring for yourself, it's easier to control your impulses). Self-care is essential, especially in the education field.

So how does it work? While it really is different for everyone, I'll offer my own tips.

Make time for hobbies. Your hobbies can be anything - crafting, gaming, writing, reading, cooking, gardening - but they have to be meaningful to you. So how do we make time for them? Start by tracking how you spend your time. There are many helpful apps to do so. The elephant in the room is that a lot of us spend way too much time on social media. While I, personally, have junked Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram, I admit that I still spend quite a bit of time on Pinterest. So consciously cutting down on social media can help. Also, making rough schedules each week can ease the transition by giving you slots to fill with hobby time.

Make time for decompression. Social media isn't decompression. Too many complex emotions get stirred. Instead, why not listen to music? Put on a playlist for singing along. Or watch a TV show or movie that you really love, that doesn't make you think, and that's pure comfort viewing. Personally, I like to watch Sailor Moon and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. Other people I know coped with medical school by watching trashy reality TV. Go for your comfort listening and viewing.

Make time to journal. Paper and pen journaling is having a bit of a vogue right now, but don't bite off more than you can chew. Commit to no more than five minutes per day. If more happens, great! But commit to five minutes of writing. Guided journals can be very helpful; I use one called Let's Talk About Mental Health. Clever Fox's Self-Care Journal (complete with stickers), Monica Sweeney's Zen As F*ck, and Kara Cutruzulla's Do It For Yourself are also attractive (and affordable) options. 

Make time for people. Connecting to people is essential for mental health. Try to schedule something social at least once a week. If you have a significant other, schedule something special with them once a week on top of that. Meet a friend or friends at a cafe. Have a movie night or game night. Invite friends round for dinner. It doesn't have to be an elaborate or expensive activity.

Make time for culture. Art galleries, lectures, concerts, museums, zoos - all provide something to think about. Art galleries often have free admission, as do lectures. As for concerts, zoos, and museums - often discounted tickets are available, if you do some hunting. In my country all museums and zoos offer special prices for pensioners, students, and people with disabilities. Always ask the ticketing office.

I am not, of course, suggesting everything on this list be done all at once. Not everything will work for you. But I think all these things are helpful in keeping sane and grounded.

Welcome.

Welcome, new readers. This blog is all about TEFL/TESOL, CELTA, setting up a business as an English teacher, curriculum development, and just about anything else related to the above.

A little about me: I'm nearly finished with the CELTA program. I'm married, have two cats, and live in Be'er Sheva, Israel. I've been a freelance writer/proofreader/editor for twenty years, I've worked as an administrative assistant, and I studied medieval history, creative writing, and foreign languages at the University of Memphis. I made aliyah in 2019 and lived in Jerusalem and Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut before settling in Be'er Sheva. 

My interests include embroidery, writing, Torah study, science fiction, film, and music. My husband and I enjoy traveling, tabletop games, classical music performances, stand-up comedy, and coffee (a teacher and an engineer cannot exist without coffee). 

I hope you will join me on the path of TEFL/TESOL here in the Negev. Shalom ubruchim haba'im!