7 Tips to Overcome Your Fears and Become a successful English Teacher

Jolly

Teaching is a wonderful profession, no matter what you teach. It is considered one of the most rewarding and fulfilling jobs, and there are many reasons for this. The most striking has to be the difference a teacher makes in their students’ lives – the ‘eureka’ moment when a student finally grasps a challenging concept is what makes a teacher’s world go around.

There are also the seemingly small, day-to-day joys of classroom life, from celebrating students’ birthdays to the funny things they accidentally say. This is especially true when teaching English as a foreign/second language. In this scenario, every single day is a learning day, even for the teacher: different cultures and traditions to discover while getting to know your students better. These precious moments cannot be measured or quantified.

But teaching is also very demanding and, at times, terrifying. With students’ eyes watching every teacher’s move, there’s little room for error. But feeling apprehensive in front of a class is normal, but it should never stop you from becoming a teacher or blossoming into an even better one. Here are a few tips.

Ready or not, here I come!

It is easy to feel underprepared all the time – there are so many variables! What if the students you put together on a project don’t get on? What if they ask you that grammar question you didn’t expect? Hiccups like these are bound to happen at some point or another in any teacher’s career. But as you show up to your classes every day, day in – day out, you’ll soon learn how to overcome the unexpected while becoming a better teacher in the process.

However, it’s important to do your best to be as prepared as possible. This is how an accredited TEFL course from a reputable provider can help. This kind of qualification can help you in many aspects of teaching: from brushing up your language knowledge to mastering the art of delivering engaging and meaningful lessons. When it comes to choosing your teaching qualification, a TEFL course can give you the foundations to face your first teaching post with confidence.

Know-it-all

Although students might expect their teachers to know EVERYTHING there is to know about the English language. It is highly unlikely that their expectations will be met. At the end of the day, we all have a blank moment, occasionally.

If this happens, just be honest. If you don’t know the answer to one of their questions, simply tell the truth. Let them know that you’ll look it up and have the answer as soon as possible. Make sure you keep your promise, though, or they’ll end up not trusting you.

Something like:

‘Good question! I’m not sure at the moment. I’ll find out the answer for you, and we can discuss it in class tomorrow.’

‘Wow, I wasn’t expecting this question! Let’s see if we can find it together. / Let’s check in our book/online. / Let’s see who’s the fastest to find the answer in our book/online’.

If you make a mistake, don’t panic! Praise your student for spotting it and take it in your stride. We all make mistakes, sometimes. And even if they don’t notice it, but you do, tell them and correct yourself. They will thank you for it and will appreciate your honesty and courage. It takes guts to admit to making a mistake and fixing it.

Culture shock and homesickness

If you are planning on teaching English as a foreign language, chances are you might be considering moving abroad. Of course, starting a new life in a different country while teaching is not like going on holiday there. Although it might be challenging, there are a few things you can do before you travel that can help you settle into your new country of choice.

Join social media communities of teachers who live there. These connections can be invaluable. Not only do they help you understand a culture you don’t know much about, but they can also work as peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, as well as a place where to vent your frustrations and ask for advice.

Find a language exchange partner. Again, with the help of social media, find someone who can help you brush up on your foreign language skills. It can do wonders for your confidence. Knowing that you’ll be able to express yourself in speaking the local language should make you feel less vulnerable.

To avoid becoming homesick, dedicate specific times in the week to connect with family and friends back at home. Remember to do this every week, because it is important for you as well as for them!

Teaching English without traveling

The thought of being unable to travel would have seemed unfathomable less than two years ago. Nowadays, we know that where there’s a will, there’s a way, specifically in the form of online teaching! Schools worldwide have learned to adapt and develop strategies, unlocking the potential of online teaching – and so can you!

Whether you choose to fly solo and embrace the freelance lifestyle or to join teaching platforms, there are plenty of opportunities to teach English as a foreign/second language online. Always assess the pros and cons of either option before committing to it. Research what solution best suits your needs and go for it!

Classroom management

There can be classroom management issues regardless of your students’ age. From boredom to behavioral issues, there is a wide range of reasons why your students might seem uncontrollable. With experience, you’ll be able to figure out how to deal with challenging classroom situations but, to start you off, here are a few tricks.

Make sure your lessons are well-designed. This means they should be challenging enough to engage your learners but not too difficult to demotivate them. They should contain interesting material suitable to their age group and cultural sensitivity.

Use non-verbal communication. With your students, agree on some hand gestures that you can use to grab their attention or to signal the end of their activity.

Avoid talking too much, and when you do, do it wisely. Ensure that everything you say is useful, and be concise. You can always ask your students questions to expand on the topic. Reduce your talk time to maximize theirs.

I can only speak English!

You might be wondering how you’d be able to help your learners of English if you can’t speak their native language. Luckily, most schools (online and non) would allocate you a class that best fits your abilities, especially if you are new to teaching. It is unlikely that you’d be given a beginner’s group as soon as you get your first teaching job abroad.

However, should that be the case, there are different approaches you can rely on – do your research! From TPR to the Silent Way, experiment with different methodologies and see which one works best for you and your class.

Employability back home

Sure, the thought of living and teaching English abroad for a year or so sounds appealing, but what happens when you go back to your home country? Would potential employers consider your time ‘away’ as an asset or as a way to procrastinate and avoid ‘real life’ responsibilities?

The list of skills that you will develop by teaching English abroad is endless. By the time you finish your teaching contract, you’ll have managed a group of 20+ people, become a confident public speaker, mastered time-keeping and attention to detail. These are transferable skills that modern employers look for in an employee.

Bottom line

Teaching English as a foreign language, online and/or abroad, can be a fantastic experience but can also be challenging. However, it’s only human to be nervous or doubtful about a complete career change or living abroad. There is plenty of information out there to help you overcome your fears and start a new life as an English language teacher.