The majority of us want to spread love for the things we enjoy. They bring us so much happiness. Why wouldn’t they do the same for others? No matter what our passion, the majority of us would do anything to ignite the love in other people, too.
If your passion is words, you may try and spread the love in a variety of ways. It could be that you attempt to write a book. Or, maybe you urge friends to read your favourite pieces of literature. Whatever route you take, attempts can often lead to disappointment. If other people aren’t passionate, it can feel impossible to change their minds.
But, that’s not to say you don’t have the power to spread the language love. Teaching can be an amazing way to ignite passion in other people’s hearts. For proof, consider your favourite teachers. How formative were their passions to your life? The chances are that things you love most are inherited from your teachers. With that in mind, teaching English may be that way forward. And, to ensure you do it well, it’s worth following these pointers.
Decide what kind of teacher you want to be
First, you need to decide which kind of teacher you’d like to be. You could opt to teach at secondary level. This way, you’ll catch kids while they’re young. Or, you could jump straight in with a college course, where you’ll be teaching children who already have passion. You could even teach international students who have yet to learn English. Companies like Delfin’s English school offer just such a service. Take a look at Delfin’s English course prices to see what type of classes are on offer. Teaching foreign students is a sure way to increase your understanding of the English language, as well as theirs. But, whether it’s right for you all depends on what you’re hoping to get from your teaching.
Read the syllabus
Whether you’re teaching English at GCSE level, or in a university, you’ll be operating from a syllabus. As much as you’d probably love to decide what books you teach, there are set texts you’ll be given a choice between. And, before you can make an informed decision, you should read as many of the options as possible. GCSE students study books such as ‘Of Mice and Men,’ by John Steinbeck, or ‘Lord of the Flies,’ by William Golding. University students get the choice between books such as Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’, and Virginia Woolf’s ‘Mrs. Dalloway’. You need to read them all and pick the one which best represents what you want to teach.
Let your passion shine through
And, of course, you need to remember to forever let your passion shine through. Our favourite teachers are always the ones who love what their subjects. Revel in the teaching process, and make sure your students can see your passion. Love for a subject can be contagious in the right setting. And, you have the ideal opportunity to create it!
