Hello lovers!
Love is definitely in the air today… Kevin is our guest blogger today, and he writes to us from Buenos Aires and has a tiny little baby to take care of! Kevin is the proud father of a teeny tiny newborn, so he is going to be quite busy for a while – congratulations.
While he mixes up baby formulas and juggles wet wipes, why don’t you read through Kevin’s questionnaire below and get to know him a little better? Be quiet though, or you’ll wake the baby!
Hola Kevin!
Why did you decide to start teaching English?
I was emigrating from Ireland to Argentina with my family because of the economic situation in Ireland. My wife is from Argentina and the move is permanent.
Did you do a TEFL course before you started teaching?
Yes, I took i-to-i’s 140hr Combined TEFL Course.
Where are you originally from?
Dublin.
What attracted you to the country you’re teaching in/ taught in?
My wife, the sun, the politics, the fact we could have a family waiting for us for our baby to be part of and my own interest in other countries, languages, English especially as I am writer of poetry, stories, novels lately and plays and find I have a natural bent for teaching and enjoy it. The school term starts in March here so I am teaching individuals, adults with great success judging from their individual development.
What age kids/adults are you/were you teaching?
In their 30s, 20s, 40s.
What were/are they like?
They tend to be well educated and want to increase their knowledge of English, all of them of course at different stages of development. Good enthusiastic people who want to learn. No shy ones yet.
How are you finding the experience?
Like I said earlier I seem to be good at it and flow naturally into the lesson reading the person’s needs and providing for them. I really enjoy it which surprised me because writing seriously is a lonely experience so I was wondering what I would be like with people. The experience turned out great.
How would you rate the experience out of 10?
10
Why?
The lesson is over before I know it and the students are obviously learning from the lessons as each time they come back their knowledge and speaking ability in the language has improved.
What would be your advice for someone thinking of TEFLing?
Go for it without prejudice or preconceptions and you will know soon enough if it’s for you. Do the weekend course where you get practical experience in front of a ‘class’. That’s what will bring out what you thought was never there, self confidence and the knowledge everyone there is in the same boat.
And now for our random questions…
What’s under your bed?
Shoes, different coloured balls belonging to my son (two year old and anything else he can get under there.
Window, centre or aisle seat on a plane?
Window seat.
What has been the most exciting day of your life so far (other than starting your TEFL career)?
Two things. When my now wife walked into the bar and the birth of my son.
Would you rather do a bungee jump or swim with sharks?
Swimming with sharks.
