Emily: United States: Jan 18, 2021

From June 2018-February 2020 I worked as an English Teacher in Beijing, China, thus giving me nearly two years of experience. During my time in Beijing, I learned the challenges and joys of teaching English to students as their second language. I believe a student is best engaged and learns effectively when they are developing intellectually, emotionally, and physically. By focusing on whole child development, the students will get more out of each lesson, as no area is being neglected. Because of this, I strive to make each one of my lessons fun and engaging for the students, and make my classroom a safe and inviting place for students to be themselves. To make the students comfortable, I always greet each student individually and practice patience, especially when students are struggling with the material. Having patience with young learners is critical to their success, and perhaps one of my most valued strengths as a teacher. In addition, I make my lessons engaging by incorporating games and interaction in my lessons. I enjoy doing activities in my lessons that involve all types of skills – listening, speaking, reading, and writing. I do my best to incorporate multiple skills at a time, so children are continually challenged throughout the lesson. Because not every student learns in the same way, I try to vary each activity to best cater all students. For example, I believe each lesson should contain activities that include things for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. Some lessons will include games that get the children up and moving, some include songs and chants, and some may be focused on drawing and using fine motor skills with craft projects. I enjoy diversifying my lessons so each day provides something new and exciting.