🇬🇧 My Teaching Philosophy
I distinctly remember a moment in my life when I had this precise thought: “I will never, EVER be a teacher”. I must have been about seventeen, bent over my desk and listening to my teacher struggle to make themselves heard over the chaos that was my high school classroom. Come to think of it, it was probably an English lesson. How ironic. Anyway, at that moment I clearly thought that I would never be caught dead in front of students. Any student. Of any kind. In any place. EVER. Well, little did I know, that only a few years later, after completing my BA, a family friend would fall ill and desperately ask for someone, anyone, that could help cover her English lessons. I had just concluded a degree, had months to wait before my MA in the UK, and I was confident in my knowledge of English grammar, I had nothing to lose. I was terrified, but what else could I do? I was in.
Fast forward to the following week, and I am standing in front of a small group of high school students. As someone who did not exactly have the best time in high school (but who did, really?), this was my worst nightmare. I placed my books on my desk and started to speak with a voice I had rehearsed in my head at least three hundred times leading up to that afternoon (I called it my imposing-yet-cool voice). And then something happened. Somewhere within that hour I fell in love with teaching. And I am not exaggerating here, although I am known to do so occasionally: I absolutely loved the whole experience.The budding rapport with the students, the interesting questions I received, the laughs, the concentration… That was it. I found something that would fuel me for years to come.
Although my path to teaching may not have been as carefully planned out as that of other educators, I can now say that the same feeling I had on my first day working in that classroom fuels my work every single day. That passion has led me to understand what I believe is important in shaping my business and my relationship with my students: I want PositiviTeach to be a space full of joy, compassion and empowerment. I wish for every single student to feel a sense of achievement and pride, and for my role to be that of guide and problem-solver.
At the heart of my teaching philosophy is that everyone has the innate ability to learn. That ability may take different shapes, be encouraged or challenged by various teaching methods, but at their core each student is capable of accomplishing any task they set their mind to. It is my responsibility to help design clear and achievable goals that resonate with individual students, and to guide them in their educational journey. Certain elements are (and always will be) at the core of every lesson: respect, kindness and the knowledge that PositiviTeach is a safe space for students to explore their abilities. It is a judgment-free environment where mistakes and failures are seen as an important part of the educational process, not something to be ashamed of.
In my personal experience shame has been an unfortunate silent companion in many language courses (at least the ones I have been a part of), tainting the learning experience and giving students the impression that what is required of them is perfection. Here at PositiviTeach, this is not the case: I pride myself in providing an excellent service for my students, tailored to their needs and requirements. What is required in return is not perfection, but passion and commitment to the process. Once that is in place, I honestly believe that the rest is just a matter of time.
I certainly did not expect to be here, writing this, 10 years ago. That said, I am very glad that life knew better. I am fully committed to PositiviTeach and what it stands for, and I believe I can offer a helping hand in achieving your educational goals.
Now, what can PositiviTeach do for you?