TEFLees in Spain

You’ll soon learn after your first time in front of a classroom, that teaching English is not always as easy as you’d think. Okay, I’ve been speaking this language for over two decades now – I reckon I’ve got a strong grasp of its concepts and ideas. But then again, how do you explain when to use “at” instead of “on?” What’s the difference between “this” and “that?” Ouch. Grammar smarts sometimes. Thankfully I’ve been trained to handle such situations…
On my road to understanding our shared language and teaching it to non-native speakers, these types of questions are the ones you hope don’t get asked. Can’t we just hang out for a couple hours and have a conversation in English? Can’t we just sit around and talk about our weekends? That’s easy to do, yes. But that’s not what it’s all about. We all know that as teachers, we’re not just walking in, reading from the book, and giving out grades. The large majority of us are teaching businessmen and women whose promotion opportunities and job security depend on them learning to speak English more fluently. In an increasingly global economy, this is their key to success. Our students choose to take our classes. This isn’t a mandatory high school history class. There are no grades. There are no assigned seats. The students here need our help to obtain promotions that will improve their lives and send their kids to college.
And while we all have our favorite students and classes, whenever class is finished, no matter which group, we can always leave with a sense of accomplishment. Maybe at the beginning of class, a student couldn’t properly introduce himself. But by the end, they’re shaking hands and making great first impressions.
Students will surely learn a great deal from you, no matter what. But how about the other way around? We go in and listen to our students talk about their pasts. They talk about their future - their fears, their hopes. They share their lives with us, and it’s mushy and sentimental, I know, but even after one short month of teaching, I already feel a great connection with my students. I feel like I’ve learned just as much as they have. That’s the immersion in culture that I came here for. It’s not something you learn back home – watching the Travel Channel or reading books. It’s hands on and real. And it’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.