Having spent my weekend working hard, I thought I would catch you up with one of the more important tasks on my list; Task #33 is to teach abroad and I have continued ‘Tip-toeing Towards my TEFL’
When I first mentioned this course back in May I had not yet started it. I am now into unit 9 – the penultimate unit, and after that just have 2 pieces of coursework to complete. Last month I attended the classwork weekend workshop, for which I now have my certificate, and I am feeling quietly confident that I will have this finished before I go off on my holiday next month.
The Plan
Teaching has always been on the cards for me; I home-schooled my own four children for a few years, and when I wasn’t ‘teaching’ I was running youth clubs, craft nights or my Guide unit. It was from my time doing those things, as well as my work experience placement during my second year at uni, that I realised that I probably wouldn’t want to work in a traditional British classroom.
Having ‘taught’ in more interactive and creative environments -including on a 19th Century Steam Ship! – I just want to do something more dynamic. So I want to teach abroad and experience other school systems.
Ultimately, I want to teach in Japan. I have the required degree, I am a native English speaker, and I hope a Level 5 TEFL cert will give me an edge. Perhaps my love of crafts and making things will help too.
Experience counts
I am under no illusion that getting teaching jobs is going to be harder for someone my age; many countries are quite forthright in their ageism and want younger people. However, I feel I bring a wealth of life experience, skills and knowledge. Plus I won’t ever turn up to work hungover, or late through partying – more is the pity!
It is also way I am also working my way through a few courses on Future Learn, including ones on linguistics and intercultural communication. All I need now is access to a posh colour printer so the certificates I have already earned on ‘Rare Japanese Books’ and ‘Teaching Phonics’ can be printed out and added to my Record of Achievement folder.
There are plenty of free courses from universities all over the world, on a massive range of subjects, over at Future Learn. I did pay the annual fee that allows me to earn the certificates, but many of them can be done at no cost to you, so it is worth checking out.
Over to you
Do you have a long held dream? Are you hoping to make it a reality?
All a goal is, is a dream with a plan.
I am ALL about the planning!
Check out this post on the 5 steps to getting things done