No pain, no gain – language fluency practice
Fluency practice is a NO pain, NO gain proposition. Here's how to get started.
Category ESL
The customer is always right
Whose interests are more important? In the long-run? in the short-run? That’s the key. Are you playing the long game or the quick fix? I’m not an economist but if you want a relationship with your customers it would make…
It’s all about energy!
Many professions require it(energy), but most people don’t think teaching is one of them. Not true. It’s all about energy! And as I am writing this I am running on fumes. I gave it my all this week. Every lesson…
The secrets to success
The secrets to success I love this poster. It says so much about how we perceive success and what actually success is all about. No matter the context you can apply this to your everyday life, professional work, studies and…
Bring on the change
Change is a process. Change is the hardest thing we can choose to do. That’s cause people don’t like change. They like what’s comfortable and familiar, if you force them to change then they will resist and maybe even protest.…
Choosing a Language School
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When I arrived to Krakow in search of my first job as an English teacher I was optimistic. My feelings were reinforced when I discovered that there were language schools all across the city. I thought, well, this should be…
Course Book vs Authentic Materials
Playing it safe Hmm… what to do what to do? When we start off we usually stick with that course book like it’s our holy bible. When a language school hires us we walk in, pick up the appropriate level…
Summer Bliss
It’s the 8th summer and there is no end in sight. If you had asked me back in 2009 that my summers would be spent like this and for 8 years running I would have shook my head and smiled…
Summer Reading
The summer is here! What a relief. Now we can take a break and stop thinking about learning, teaching, studying, homework and on and on. When I was in school I did what most students do today, threw those books…
Teaching young learners
As ESL teachers we have to always be flexible, it comes with the job. If we choose to always teach the same level and age of students it’s easy to get bored and sooner or later we will run out…
Teaching and Travel
It’s not a revelation and it surely isn’t a surprise. Those in the industry are well aware of the reputation. Teachers who choose to work and travel, will do so just to get a taste of the world, and at…
Teacher hours: grinding it out
I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the work. I suppose all of us feel the grind at some point. A lot can depend on how much you enjoy your job, because if you have passion it can consume you. For teachers…
Having a good conversation
This past week I watched a Ted video by a radio show host who spoke about how to have a good conversation. She referenced how our tech-absorbed environment works against us and children in particular, who are the most vulnerable,…
Setting Goals
Motivation to start Remember that overwhelming feeling I mentioned in my first post? Well, it’s the real deal. We can get that feeling whenever we start a new endeavor and wow, it is hard to overcome sometimes. I believe that…