I chose this program because it was offered through iTTT and iTTT has a good reputation online. Once you select a city in which you are interested in, iTTT doesn't really give you the name of the school you will be training at and so I didn't really have much of a choice. They only gave me the name of the provider after I had already paid, so this question doesn't really apply.
Alumni Spotlight: Dino Monteverde
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An eternal student looking to travel the world and soak up all of what life has to offer and find a way to give back.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
The program provided all necessary books, workbook and facilities. The only things I had to organize on my own was a personal notebook, pens and lesson supplies such as markers, coloring pencils and handouts which could be printed at a nearby store. They also assisted with accommodation and provided multiple options for different budgets.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
One piece of advice I would give would be to make sure to manage their time and to work on their lesson plans as soon as possible. The reason being when you begin to teach lessons in the second week, you only have so much time in between class and the next lesson that you will find you are short on time. But if you spend enough time on the weekends and at night preparing, you will be much better off when it comes time to actually do the lesson.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
You basically have lectures starting around 9am to about noon, in which you break for lunch and then come back for an afternoon session, usually from about 1pm to 5pm, with plenty of 5 minute breaks spread throughout the day. And then when it comes to the teaching practicum, you leave in the afternoon around 3pm and teach and observe at the school until about 7pm.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
My biggest fear going into the program was that I wouldn't want to complete it after starting it or not having the necessary skills to be able to finish. I was able to overcome it by coming to the realization that I come from a Native English speaking country and that we all know the inherent grammar rules in the language, just that we are not so aware of the labels. Once you realize this, it is just a matter of practicing and knowing the different labels and rules and being able to teach it to another person.
What was a favorite part of the trip?
One of my favorite parts in the course is the teaching practicum. I highly recommend it for anyone that has never taught before. Making a lot of mistakes in your first lesson and adjusting them in your future ones can really show improvement and growth in oneself. But the best part really is when you can see the visible progress and outcome of what you are teaching reflect back in your students. It's quite a fulfilling and cathartic experience and unlike anything else I have done before. The instructors Chris, Kevin and Ryan also made the entire experience a great one!