Kasia Jakielaszek is a CELTA tutor at IH Lisbon in Portugal and IH Wroclaw in Poland
How long were you an EFL teacher, and how long have you been a teacher trainer?
I started off after my initial training in 1990 and continued as a full time EFL teacher until 2012. From 2012 I’ve been mostly teacher training, first working as a Director of Studies in a language school before moving on to CELTA training.
Did you have a different career before EFL?
No, teaching has been my vocation.
What are your hopes/aspirations for your trainees?
I hope for my trainees to find the profession as varied and rewarding as I have.
When you were an EFL teacher what did you like most, and how do you bring that into the classroom for your trainees?
What I’ve liked most was connecting with my learners, always meeting new people, seeing the Aha! moment in my students’ eyes and the sense of accomplishment when they were able to communicate their messages. I’ve always loved watching both my students and my trainees grow and develop, and seeing how happy and fulfilled this makes them, which in turn makes my job worthwhile.
What advice would you give your trainees for successfully completing the course?
Keep on reflecting, experimenting with your techniques and never stop learning. Try to enjoy teaching as much as you can – if you enjoy it, your learners will too.
What advice would you give your trainees for an interesting and rewarding career?
Try to find a job with a school which offers support and which has a good professional development scheme in place. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice, share with others and enjoy being a part of a teaching team.