Michal Tatarko is a CELTA tutor at IH Prague in the Czech Republic
How long were you an EFL teacher, and how long have you been a teacher trainer?
I have worked for 10 years as an EFL teacher, and 5 years as a teacher trainer.
Did you have a different career before EFL?
No, I have always worked in EFL.
What are your hopes/aspirations for your trainees?
Becoming knowledgeable in teaching methodology and being able to recognise why things happen in the lesson and how they are connected.
When you were an EFL teacher what did you like most, and how do you bring that into the classroom for your trainees?
I like those 'aha!' moments when my learners realised they wanted to say something and relied on my help to discover the language they needed. Now I teach my trainees to help learners discover the language rather than explain it to them word by word.
What advice would you give your trainees for successfully completing the course?
Dedicate all the time to the course and free yourself from any other responsibilities. Also, work together with other course participants and help each other.
What advice would you give your trainees for an interesting and rewarding career?
Try different things and teach for different schools. Educate yourself and go beyond prescribed course book materials.