It’s not every day you get to hear a story like Maria’s TEFL journey. We recently had the pleasure of checking in with Maria after almost ten years, and we are so happy to see her thriving not only in the TEFL world but in the world of art as well. In this article, Maria tells us about how the EBC Trinity CertTESOL course helped her get to where she is today. Read about her main takeaways from the course and how it helped her learn the art of TEFL.
The art of TEFL: Where her TEFL journey started
After suffering from eyesight problems, Maria decided to leave her job as a personal executive assistant. “I used to work as an executive personal assistant,” she said, also sharing, “Since I was very young, I suffered from a lot of problems with my eyesight.”
According to Maria, it got to a point where she could no longer work in front of a screen. However, she has always had the mindset of a fighter, which is why she didn’t let that keep her down. “I couldn’t work in front of the computer, but I had to do something else,” she said, which lead her to realize that teaching had always been her passion. “I always loved teaching. I love teaching a lot.”
So, she set her mind on getting CertTESOL certified with EBC, and that’s exactly what she did. Maria decided to learn the art of TEFL. As a result, she has been working in the TEFL world for ten years now.
“I (taught) at school,” she shared. “I worked for an English academy for two years, and now I’m focused on private tutoring. Because I also paint.”
The art of TEFL: How becoming a teacher gave way to her artistry
Maria also shared her love for art, and how getting into the art of TEFL allowed her to have time for another passion of hers. “So when I was living in London, I took a painting course because it’s my passion. So (I was actually) in London two weeks ago.” She told us how much being at an art school made her emotional. “It was very…I felt very, very emotional,” she said. “It was very emotional for me to see (as well as speak) to the head of the school.”
Maria has even sold paintings at an art exhibit in New York. She also spoke about how her art is a good break for her eyes. “It’s contemporary art, so I don’t have to paint in detail,” she said. “So in a way, it’s not that I am just forcing my sight on the paintings because they are in big formats. And (they’re) modern paintings.”
Because she is living out both her passions, Maria is truly an inspiration to turn your dreams into reality.
The art of TEFL: The EBC Trinity CertTESOL course
According to Maria, teaching is “one of the most challenging jobs in the world.” She cited the challenges of having new students as an example as well as how every English language learner is different. “You don’t know what is coming next, right?” she said. “You are also experiencing new challenges. When you have a new student.”
Maria shared that as a teacher, theory is one thing, but execution is another. In her experience with the Trinity CertTESOL course, she felt that she was well-trained to become an effective English teacher. “We (had to) plan our lessons when we were in the course,” she said. She also shared that the feedback she would get from John, her teacher trainer, helped her really learn the art of TEFL. So much so that she has now been teaching for a decade.
“I love communication and dealing with people,” she said.
Maria also told us about her current set-up, where she teaches her classes at home. “I had the last routine (eye) operation a year ago, so I am only teaching five students,” she said. “You see, they come (to my house) and (I) teach them. It’s the perfect job, to be honest…(because) you choose your time and your hours.”
The art of TEFL: Maria’s most valuable takeaways from the Trinity CertTESOL course
Despite having gotten her Trinity CertTESOL certification ten years ago, her key takeaways from it are still so clear. “I know better what the students need (as well as their) capacities,” Maria told us.
She even recalled class sessions with her teacher trainer. “My trainer was John, from Norway,” she said, sharing that having him as a mentor was “very, very helpful.”
“He helped us learn how to plan a lesson and how to present the grammar,” she said. “Okay. First, the use, then the structure, and then practising with examples. I perfectly remember, and it’s been really, really useful for me because I specialize in grammar.”
Maria even showed us the whiteboard she has in her kitchen, saying, “I teach in the kitchen, so I have it here. It’s really good. And, my students love writing. Sometimes, we practise writing stories or replying to emails,” she said, citing the different exams her students prepare for.
“You see, (them) going to the board, and then (me) correcting the mistakes, or (asking my students), should you do it this way or the other way? (That’s) the way John presented on the, how to plan lessons. It’s been really, really useful.”
The art of TEFL: How teaching practise helped prepare Maria for the real world
When asked about how the EBC Trinity CertTESOL teaching practise sessions helped her hone her skills as an English teacher, Maria shared that they contributed a lot to building her confidence.
“I remember (my teaching practise),” she reminisced. “On (the) first day, I was really, really nervous. Because I said, Oh my God, I’m going to be in front of students. How am I going to do it?”
She recalled how challenging it was at first, saying, “Because again, it was really, really challenging.” However, her fighter instinct kicked in, and she told herself, “Okay, I have go for it. Maria. Go for it. And then on the second and third (teaching practises), I was feeling more confident. So nothing to worry about. And I was always listening to John’s advice, which has always been really useful and powerful.”
The art of TEFL: Why EBC?
When asked what made her choose to get Trinity CertTESOL certification with EBC, Maria had this to say:
“When I was just saying, okay, I cannot work on the computer anymore…I started inquiring on the Internet. There were some–only Madrid in Barcelona. And then I found EBC. And I said, well, it’s going to be EBC. I read the reviews. You see, the student reviews are always very, very useful.”
After reading reviews that former EBC graduates had left us, Maria said she was convinced. “And that made me excited to go for EBC. And I think I made the right decision, definitely.”
Maria also said that the intensity of the course along with the constant support of her teacher trainer were also key factors. “It was very, very intensive. I remember that we were there from nine-thirty till five o’clock, I think. Then I had to go back home, complete all the homework because, on the following day, we had to present it. John was…very supportive.
The art of TEFL: Maria’s inspiring mindset
Listening to Maria’s inspiring story and her profound insights, we couldn’t help but ask her what made her feel bold enough to pave a new path in life.
“I don’t like to talk much about my disability with my eyesight, but I had to do something,” she told us. “I mean, I (couldn’t) just say, okay, that’s the way it is. End of the story. No way. I’m a very active person, you see, and I like challenges in life. So that’s why I first decided (to take) this TEFL course with EBC and then continue developing my artistic career. (I thought), Why not? If I had the time. And now I have both, and I’m extremely happy because I can choose when to teach and when to paint. So no problem. I love challenges. You see, it’s like overcoming your fears and feeling strong.”
As we remain committed to making contributions to the world of TEFL, it always brings a sense of fulfilment to hear English teacher stories like Maria’s. From all of us at EBC, thank you for sharing your journey with us. We wish you all the very best in your TEFL and artistic careers. Until our next check-in!
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Accredited TEFL Training Courses
- Accredited online TESOL certification course, a face-to-face live-streaming TEFL course
- TEFL course in Madrid Spain, accredited TEFL course, the Trinity CertTESOL
- Trinity CertPT CPD courses courses for practising teachers
- Accredited teaching Business English course, a Business English CPD course
- Accredited CLIL course – Content and Language Integrated Learning, a CLIL CPD course
- Accredited CLT course, Communicative Language Teaching, a CLT CPD course
- Accredited teaching English online course, a teaching English online CPD course
- Online TEFL certification course in TESOL & TEFL, a 200-hour course with trainer-marked assignments
- EBC short TEFL skills courses with certification