Follow me here as I share my journey towards obtaining my Certificate in Teaching English to (Adults) Speakers of Other Languages!
This June, I successfully applied, interviewed, and was accepted into an online CELTA course in Poland.
Though of course, there has already been a few hiccups with those plans. As I work everything out, I thought sharing my experiences could help someone else who is considering taking this course. If that person is you, I sincerely wish you all the best on your journey as you continue to stay tuned to how mine journey unfolds.
Thank you and happy learning!
Monday, July 20th, 2020
Hello again!
Time for a little bit of good news and ‘not so good’ news.
First, I was accepted into the CELTA program with Krakow.
That is clearly the good news. My not so good news is that due to me being overseas, I found myself struggling to pay for the deposit. I have the funds, but the deposit must come directly from my bank and I have not been able to setup the wire transfer with my ‘international’ phone. Which I need to do before my bank will allow me to send the money to the program…
Though never fear – I have a plan!
Once I leave work, I will try and make the call using Skype. I signed up for their US monthly subscription program, got myself a 239 area code number through them, and made a rather lengthy test call to Expedia yesterday to see if it could be done. So I can finally make the payment today!
Now that things are slowing down at my current teaching post, I can begin devoting more time to study for the CELTA and my upcoming training with English Wizards. For my CELTA studies, I have decided to use YouTube videos, WordPress blogs from CELTA graduates and trainers, and the website PassTheCELTA.com. The emails that I have received about this website have been so informative and I like that everything I will need to get a Pass A within the CELTA program is all in one place. It’s only $75 to register, and to me that is a more than fair invest into my teaching career.
I’ll check in again once I have made my payment and am on my way to Poland.
Until then, this last gif pretty much sums up my mood. Enjoy your week and thanks for stopping by!
Thursday, August 27th, 2020
Typing away this check in while watching my laundry spin round and round at the local Speed Queen laundry mat. Which is a pretty accurate way of describing how I’ve been feeling these days when it comes to my CELTA studies. I had planned on completing a CELTA course this year, prehaps in October or November, but honestly the wind has been knocked out of my sails while completing my online training for the English Wizards program.
In short, I need more time.
There is no doubt in my mind that if I were to attempt to take the CELTA course now that I would for sure fail. Especially if I signed up for a 4 work course! There is far too much material for me to focus on, learn, and then apply. Learning how to effectively teach English is no small task! I knew that at the beginning of this journey, but as I struggle now to complete assignments within the English Wizards online training, I had to admit that I am not fully ready to take the CELTA course.
Right now, the only courses available are online, which I love. Though lots of people fail to realize how discipline and determined one must be to successfully complete an online course. And this one is severely intense! If there were an 11 week version of the CELTA that I could take online instead of a 4 week one, I would sign up, but there isn’t at this time. Which is way I feel more like this:
So I am going to spend this time focusing on finishing up my online training for English Wizards, which I now have a bit more than a week to complete (before our in-class training starts). This training really does feel like an in-depth prep CELTA course and I want to take in as much of the material as I can before the in-class training begins.
Once I complete my English Wizards training, I will have to balance working full time as well as part time studying for the CELTA with all the resources that I have at my found over the last few months.
Right now, the updated plan is to register for the CELTA in January of next year, December at the earliest. Either way, I will be sure to continue checking in here so that you all know what happens.
Thanks for reading my journey and for your support!
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021
I’ve been back in the States for several months and for the last month have not done a single bit of studying towards the CELTA.
Why?
After more research, I’ve changed my mind again.
Due to the pandemic, I realistically won’t be leaving the States until this time next year at the earliest, so I am saving up for a few other projects (Soprano Musings Photography and K. McCoy).
By day, I tutor online and once that is done I have just enough energy to devote to either one of those projects only. Usually I rotate between them, but I still haven’t made the time to add studying for any other English Teaching certificates.
I’m hoping to have my schedule in order by April so that I can begin studying for the Trinty DipTESOL, which I’ve talked about on my Instagram account (which is the only social media that I’ve managed to keep up with since last year, lol). The new plan is not a CELTA or DELTA, but the DipTESOL instead.
Since changing my mind on where to focus my studies, I have decided to create an online wishlist and begin buying books from there to help me prepare for when I can afford to go abroad again and take courses for the DipTESOL. If I begin making enough income, I would like to begin saving up for registering to start the course by June of this year, since it’s going to be well over four thousand dollars – again, just for the course – no flight, room, or board.
For those of you that have been following me since the beginning of my journey, I truly am sorry. Though I am not sorry for being away from social media. The time away was needed, since being back in the States took more acceptance mental than I was initally prepared for after I physically got settled into my new living environment.
To do better at holding myself accountable to this blog, I’ve asked my network of friends that are also teachers to ‘remind’ them of my progress and have set an alarm on my phone to share any updates with you all at least every two weeks.
Again, I will do my best to stay inspired and to keep you all posted on my progress towards becoming Trinity DipTESOl certified.
Thank you.
Soprano Musings Abroad! 