Hey there, fellow ESL teachers! Buckle up because I’m about to take you on a rollercoaster journey through my wild ride of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to go from chalkboards in Vietnam to clicking through slides in an online classroom, you’re in for a treat.
From Vietnam with Love
So, picture this: me, fresh out of my teaching program, ready to conquer the world (or at least a classroom full of energetic kids in Vietnam). My days were filled with beginners who repeated everything I said because they hadn’t quite grasped the concept of a question. Add to that the joys of commuting during monsoon season, and you’ve got a recipe for character-building. But despite the sweaty shirts and malfunctioning air conditioners, I loved it. The kids were enthusiastic, every day was an adventure, and I was living the dream.
The Big Leap to Online Teaching
Fast forward a few years, and I decided to jump into the deep end of online teaching. I started with one of those big Chinese companies where you basically become an over-enthusiastic cartoon character, complete with props and exaggerated facial expressions. It was fun—like being on a weird ESL sitcom—but eventually, I thought, “Why not go solo and make this teaching thing more personal?”
The Material Maze
Going solo sounded awesome until I hit the brick wall of reality: I needed good teaching materials. Cue the late-night montage of me hunched over my laptop, fueled by coffee and sheer desperation, searching for decent ESL lesson plans and ESL worksheets online. Spoiler alert: most of what I found was, well, not great.
Creating my own materials was like trying to cook a gourmet meal when all I really wanted was a microwave burrito. My first attempts? Let’s just say they were a hot mess—think Frankenstein curriculum, with bits and pieces awkwardly stitched together.
The Eureka Moment
After countless trial-and-error sessions and a few mini-meltdowns, I finally hit my stride. I managed to create an online ESL curriculum that was not only effective but actually fun for my students. Watching them “get it” and enjoy the process? That was my rockstar moment.
One day, I showed my materials to a teacher friend. He took one look and said, “Dude, you’ve got to make this available to other teachers.” And just like that, I stumbled into the curriculum business. I set up a website, and to my surprise, other teachers loved it too. They kept telling me how their students were learning faster and how they were getting more referrals because of it.
The Sweet Success
Soon enough, the positive feedback started rolling in. Teachers were raving about how their students were progressing at lightning speed and, more importantly, actually enjoying the lessons. Who knew English for ESL learners could be fun?
Before I knew it, I was so busy with new students and glowing reviews that I had to start turning away clients. It’s a good problem to have, but still, it’s proof that my system works. Seeing students who struggled with other ESL curriculums thrive with mine? Pure gold.
Lessons Learned
So, what’s the takeaway from all this? First off, having the right materials can make or break your teaching experience. You can be the most enthusiastic teacher in the world, but if your materials suck, so will your lessons. Secondly, perseverance pays off. All those late nights and coffee-fueled work sessions? Totally worth it.
Give It a Try
If you’re an ESL teacher drowning in subpar materials or spending hours creating your own, why not give my curriculum a shot? I’ve poured my heart and soul into it, and it’s been a game-changer for both me and the teachers who’ve used it. You don’t have to take my word for it—try it out for free at SuperEnglishESL.com and see the difference it makes in your teaching and your students’ learning.
Final Thoughts
Teaching ESL online has been a wild ride, full of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. If you’re thinking about making the switch to online teaching or going independent, just remember: it’s not going to be easy, but it will be worth it. Keep pushing, keep experimenting, and most importantly, keep caring about your students.
Thanks for coming along on my journey. Whether you’re a teacher or a student, I hope my story gives you a glimpse into the world of online ESL teaching—and maybe even inspires you to keep going.
Happy teaching!
Cheers,
Teacher Shane