Teach English in Paishi Zhen - Huangshi Shi

Personal teaching experience I had never envisioned teaching English to a group of high- spirited and playful teenagers until I accepted to cover for a friend of mine who had fallen ill the previous day and it was the starting point for my tortuous and wonderful journey as an English teacher. In retrospect, I have struggled with lots of challenges and obstacles which have taught me plenty of valuable lessons. On the other hand, apart from gaining practical experience in all the techniques, theories, and approaches taught during extensive training courses, I have also relished the great advantages and cherished a lot of fond memories provided by the job. Ever since I started my teaching career after completing a teacher training course, I have faced lots of daunting challenges such as adopting appropriate methodologies and approaches, class management, treating learners with different personalities, providing a safe and comfortable environment for the learners, and taking conscious decisions on how to enhance the efficiency of the class. One of the most challenging tasks of a teacher is to adopt the most effective and useful approaches on teaching the new language. In my experience, it depends on several factors such as the age, motivation , language level, the cultural background, and the learning habits of the students. For example, while adult learners might feel comfortable with constant drillings and repetitions prescribed by audiolingual approach, the children might find it quite boring and prefer total physical response approach so they can have more fun and be amused, or teenagers might go for more communicative approaches. To my knowledge, it's best to conduct a lively and entertaining lesson while keeping in mind that the main intention is to present the new language effectively and efficiently and make sure the learners understand and learn everything in the most amusing and pleasurable way. I've never stuck to one single method as I think too much adherence to a particular approach stifles creativity of the teacher and liveliness of the class. One of the most important responsibilities of a teacher is to break the ice on the first day of the class as well as to reach out to the introverted and reticent learners by trying to create a lively and light-hearted atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable and eager to communicate, otherwise, the lessons might slip into boredom and monotony which definitely takes away from the effectiveness and success of the class. To infuse some interest, comfort, and amusement into the class and alleviate boredom I occasionally take advantage of lots of communicative activities and fun games through which students can establish rapport and get away from pressure of constant study and excercise which makes for more accomplishments. It's quite normal to occasionally come across weaker students who have to put in more effort and struggle to grasp the new language input. It might be a good idea to pair this kind of learners with stronger ones so that they can take advantage of the knowledge and assistance of their classmates which apart from acquisition of new points and educational benefits makes them feel more comfortable and relaxed. I have always treated this kind of learners with a covert sympathy and praised them upon completion of a task or understanding a new point as I believe they are more sensitive and cautious than their classmates and if their confidence and self-esteem are not boosted by the teacher and their classmates, they might feel frustrated and choose to drop out soon. Once in a while, I have had to deal with disruptive learners who tend to defy the desciplines, disrupt the class, or throw a curve from time to time. In my experience, while dealing with this kind of learners it's best to make them feel like that their participation and cooperation is appreciated by the whole class and their conforming to the rules will benefit both sides. I have always involved them in classroom activities and group works so that they start friendly relationships and communications with their classmates and as a result start to become assimilated into the class. With regards to benefits and advantages of being an English teacher, I profoundly believe that helping the learners progress along their language learning venture and assisting them to overcome the obstacles which once seemed insurmountable is an enjoyable experience that always fills me with a great sense of fulfillment. Moreover, establishing a bond with the learners which sometimes develop into a sincere and lasting friendship is a great advantage any teacher can enjoy during their profession. I have always relished the genuine respect and appreciation shown and expressed by my students. Besides, as an English teacher you might be offered tons of job opportunities overseas and enjoy new places along with new culture, cuisines, and language. In sum, teaching English like any other job involves lots of benefits and downsides and being conscious of these aspects is absolutely essential before choosing the profession. The continuous efforts to help improve the language level of the learners through adopting suitable approaches and techniques as well as humanistic side of the profession should be equally taken into consideration while talking about its advantages and disadvantages. My overall impression of this educational occupation is positive and after several years of being involved in foreign language education, I can say it's been a rich and rewarding experience full of ups and downs and fond memories which will stick in my mind forever.