Creative Teacherette

I've been in the online teaching industry for more than 5 years, so believe me when I tell you that I have tried and tested many coursebooks and materials that can make or break an online lesson, especially when you teach adults (which is what this blog post will focus on). But before I tell you which coursebook we use now and why that one is the best, let's get one thing straight: Coursebooks are not the law, they are a tool! (and you can quote me on that) I see so many new teachers stick only to a coursebook while preparing and then executing their lessons as if that was the holy grail of successful teaching. And it's great to use coursebooks as a basis for lesson planning and utilizing the hard work of its authors and big publishing companies who have the resources to conduct ample R&D, so you know that what you are teaching is, in fact, at the correct level. However, sticking only to coursebooks is a huge rookie mistake because: There are no perfect coursebooks. Eac...

Hi, everyone! I know I've been MIA for the last month or so, but I had a lot going on at the university. I'm slowly finishing my studies and although there's still a lot to be done, I think I'll be able to spend some of my time on this blog in the next couple of months. Today I wanted to tell you how my first time in an EFL classroom as a student of teaching foreign languages went by. Once again, I got reassured that teaching is what I want to do for the rest of my life! One of my colleagues and I visited a local elementary school and we got to observe an English class of third graders. Their teacher, Jelena, blew me away. I always thought that teaching kids at such young age is chaotic and exhausting and all over the place, but seeing this class made me realize that all the things that we were taught in college really can be transferred to an enjoyable practice. The topic of the lesson were days of the week and some activities that can be done in one’s...