Amazing Experience

Getting my TEFL certification through International TEFL Academy was the best decision in regard to furthering my teaching opportunities. Prior to attending ITA, I had been teaching in South Korea where TEFL certification isn't required. I realized how much I love teaching and wanted to keep doing it while experiencing new cultures. I signed up for the program and was contacted by a pre-admissions advisor. Turns out my advisor had also taught in Korea, so we had a lot to talk about. He was extremely helpful with answering all of my questions. Even though I was on the other side of the world, I felt totally prepared for the class. ITA sent a pre-course email with further information about the course, where to find the books, and some suggestions on where to stay if you're from out of town. Once the class started, it was a lot of work. I was at school 10 to 11 hours a day (sometimes by choice), and then I would go home to finish quizzes or other homework. Even though it was a lot of work in a very short time, I never felt overwhelmed. The students in my class were supportive and encouraging, the teachers offered assistance in every way possible, and even my advisor gave some suggestions on where to go/what to do to de-stress. Once a week during the course, we had mini seminars on different topics; resume writing, teaching in Asia, teaching in Latin America, teaching in Europe and the Middle East. These seminars sparked my interest in new countries I'd never considered. The advisors leading the seminars have a wealth of knowledge to share. They can tell you about the different visa options, where to go if you want to teach children/adults/both, salary ranges for each country, volunteer options abroad, and more. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I still stay in touch with some of the students from my class, and we often reminisce about our time in Chicago. Though it was a tough four weeks, it was a rewarding experience that I would do over again in a heartbeat.