tahn

I come from a sales and business development work background but I have always wanted to get into teaching. I teach music (piano/violin) to students ranging from elementary to adults. I am a fun, outgoing, and easy-going individual and would one day like to obtain my teaching credential in the United States as well.

My name is Cheney van Graan, I am 27 Years old, and I am from South Africa. I am passionate about the performing arts and have a bachelor’s degree in motion picture science. I completed my TEFL Course in September 2021 with the TEFL Academy and I am currently stationed in Erbil, Kurdistan, where I am a kindergarten teacher for the British International Schools in Kurdistan. I have been teaching in Kurdistan since October 2021. My employment contract ends in June 2022. Although I have enjoyed experiencing the rich cultural heritage of Kurdistan and have grown to love the students in my class, I wish to experience other cultures and work opportunities. Since I was young, I have always been interested in South Korea. I love its vibrant culture and history and I enjoy traditional Korean food and pop culture. My love for Korea also lies with the strength and amazing work ethic of its population. I believe I will easily fit in with the local population as I have a personal philosophy of performing any task given to me with 110% effort. I am a perfectionist and will only consider a task complete once I am truly satisfied with the results. I believe therefore that I will be a great addition to you team of dedicated teachers and will represent your school with honour and pride. I will also be an outstanding ambassador for my home country, highlighting our own people’s excellent work ethic and desire to help other people succeed.
Teaching Philosophy
My philosophy is that learning should be a fun and wholesome experience. When planning a lesson, I aim to add as many interactive aspects as possible to ensure that all my students participate in class and have fun while also learning important concepts. Such interactive aspects include educational games that tie in with the lesson and ensuring that each student participates in the lessons by asking them questions, as well as giving them a chance to ask me questions. I approach my lessons with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. I also believe in communicating regularly with the parents of my students regarding what they did in class, the progress of each child and how each child can improve their interactions in class. I also request the parents of my students to help them with homework and ensure that the work that they are given is done in a complete and acceptable manner.
While I do promote fun in the classroom, I also ensure that my students are well-disciplined while learning. In order to deter my students from misbehaving, I have set up a points system whereby I give and take away points from my students depending on their behaviour in class. This system is incredibly effective, and my students try their hardest to get the most points in class each day. In disciplining my students, I do not shout at them or otherwise humiliate them. Instead, I believe in positive reinforcement, teaching them why some behaviour is unacceptable and how they can improve their behaviour and become the best students ever. My modes of discipline are so far effective, and my students are incredibly respectful and kind in the classroom. I have even received compliments from parents who claim that their child has become much better behaved since I started teaching them.
How Do I Deal with Culture Shock?
Before I moved to Kurdistan, I did much research on the culture and customs of the country to ensure that I got there with some knowledge on how to interact with locals, how to behave in public and how to cope in a foreign country. When I arrived there, I still experienced some culture shock as so many things were incredibly different and unfamiliar to me. One particular challenge has been the language barrier between me and the local population. However, with time I was able to adapt to these changes and have been able to navigate myself around a country that is incredibly different from my home country. In addition, I befriended some locals who helped me find my way around the country.
My experience in Kurdistan has taught me that, in addition to the various administrative aspects of living and working in a foreign country, I also need to ensure that I am prepared to face the various cultural obstacles that come my way in order to overcome culture shock without much difficulty. If chosen to work in South Korea, I will do more thorough research on how to navigate my way through social and cultural aspects of the country before I get there. This will include me learning some basic Korean through educational apps such as Duolingo so that I can communicate with and gain the trust and respect of the locals; research the area that I would potentially stay in to familiarise myself with the landmarks and various activities available. I would also try get into contact with people who already live and work there to help me prepare for the change.

Energy and Attitude as an English Teacher
– Classes are conducted with much enthusiasm, with emphasis being placed on interactive lessons and student participation.
– I believe in discipline and respect for one another in the classroom and have set up effective but fair disciplinary measures for misbehaviour that reinforce good behaviour.
– I also believe in effective communication with parents and guardians
Cultural understanding and adaptability of Korea
– I am open minded and am enthusiastic about learning about the culture of a country and am able to adapt quickly to change.
– I already have some knowledge of South Korea as I have read much about it and I have a keen interest in their food, popular culture, and language.
– I will prepare beforehand for the move to South Korea by reading up on the local rules and laws of the country; learning basic words and phrases to better communicate with the local people; familiarising myself with the area I may stay in by watching videos that describe and highlight certain aspects of the region; and getting into contact with people who live and work in the area.
Teaching Ability (ESL)
– I completed a full TEFL course with the TEFL Academy in 2021, based on the Cambridge syllabus.
– I am teaching kindergarten students the basics of English, including the alphabet and phonetics
– I have received positive feedback from my supervisors at my current school regarding my teaching style, as well as positive feedback in the form of excellent results from my students.
Other Strengths as an English Teacher
– I read a lot, and therefore have extensive knowledge on how English should be taught properly and effectively
– I enjoy incorporating multimedia in my classes in order to make my lessons entertaining and memorable.
– I am incredibly passionate about my work and will go the extra mile to ensure that my students pay attention and are able to complete the lessons they are given.

My educational background in the UK has awarded me with excellent written and verbal communication skills across various mediums, including public speaking, creative writing, letter writing, and the ability to critically analyse English texts succinctly. I would relish the opportunity to teach these skills to students so they can utilise English in a real-world context. I am passionate about motivating children and my empathetic personality will allow me to easily understand when they are struggling and adapt to their different learning styles. My strengths in creativity and academia will further enable me to produce interesting yet educational lessons that all students can benefit from.

My professional work experience as a communications specialist in the Higher Education sector, including The University of Manchester and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, involves managing content across various platforms for stakeholders, which requires an impeccable standard of spoken and written English. Working alongside students and academics in a professional setting has inspired me to teach English as a foreign language to further students' opportunities as global citizens. During my role with The University of Manchester, I coordinated a Peer Mentoring Scheme to enhance students' learning experience. This involved reviewing students' work produced for the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, including blogs and academic essays, and providing constructive feedback to enable students to strengthen their academic and creative writing. Further, in my current role, I support students from various nationalities interested in becoming student ambassadors and enhancing their leadership skills in organising events and speaking about the University to a public audience. Supporting students across both humanities and science disciplines has honed my ability to relate to students and adapt my communication skills to their ambitions to become the next generation of scientists, humanitarians, entrepreneurs and world leaders. It is essential to adapt teaching to the purpose of students' rationale for learning English to motivate students and adapt lesson content to suit their interests. In January, I will gain 20 hours of in-class teaching experience to improve my teaching practice and ensure that it is of the highest standard to those being taught.

Since studying a degree in educational studies, I have learnt many aspects of education, and child/student-centred learning. In addition to this, I have also become aware of the wider social forces in which play a part in an individual's learning and experience of education, and indeed school. The ability to become consciously aware that each person learns differently, and how to apply this, not only the classroom, but also stem belief into the individual that he or she can achieve anything. Furthermore, I would like to express the importance of individualism in the context of both the classroom, expressing their true passions and talents, and their identity, in which they themselves associate to, whether that be race or culture. For me, to have a successful, warm and welcoming environment, we need to embrace all individuals and let them express themselves freely.

Moving on, my experiences as a teacher assistant in the UK, and my charitable work in Australia, has prepared me for future roles in teaching and working with children of all ages. Furthermore, I have experience as a camp counsellor in the U.S., working with ages groups from 5-15 years of age. One of my core strengths is connecting with different age groups through social interactions and a motivation to make every student succeed through learning and engaging with others. I am a big believer that we learn best by working together, forming ideas, whilst still sticking to some traditionalist forms of education. However, I believe it's important to recognise the world we live in today is very different from the world 30-40 years ago, especially in first world countries.

Confidence is key in a child's success in education. Embracing their inner qualities and desires is key for future success and present enjoyment. Ultimately, we are teaching the future, and therefore, we must allow one to follow their passions, whilst teaching in a progressive, with a balance of traditionalist view of education and teaching.

I therefore would like to conclude with my overall experiences and ideas of education and teaching. I believe allowing the students to flourish by recognising their passions is key for any educationist. Notwithstanding, the importance of individualism in and outside the classroom. My experiences of my studies, work-based classroom experiences and overall experiences in life, such as my 5-year world travel and volunteering in many countries, has given me a set of key life tools. I am an extremely positive person, who strives for the best. I enjoy helping others through and a keen ear for taking new ideas. Education should constantly evolve and adapt to whatever society throws up.

I am also, in the future, looking to do a masters in addiction and mental health, with further studies in therapy and counselling as a PHD.

I am a Level 5 TEFL qualified tutor with experience in Finance since graduation with lots of exposure to training.
Currently I am still working full time in Finance and recently, started to teach English on Native camp online on the weekends. This is very recent but I am thoroughly enjoying teaching
I have an interest in Cars, animals, like trying new foods and recently been focusing on working out in the gym through strength training, spinning virtually and running.
I am keen to help enable the success of students to communicate effectively in English with confidence.
I have assisted my international friends and coworkers with their English when asked. In addition, throughout my experience in Finance at Exponential-e, I have trained and motivate and feedback to the team members and still do to this day. Whether it is training on processes, system or use of Excel.