Kaplan Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week
It’s National Teacher Appreciation Week, which means it’s time to celebrate and honor all our teachers for the amazing work they do. Think of all the wonderful teachers you’ve had in your life and all the passion and dedication they put into their work. A great teacher is more than just someone who provides you with knowledge – they inspire you and encourage you to achieve more than you ever thought possible.
In order to highlight some of the amazing staff we have across our 40 schools, we took some time to get to know our teachers and share their stories and passions with you. Below, you’ll meet Amelia, Remy, and Victoria from our English schools in Australia, the US, and Ireland. Take a look and see why they love teaching English to international students.
Amelia Sinclair, Kaplan Sydney City
Why do you like teaching international students at our Sydney City English school?
I admire what my students are setting out to achieve because they are attempting to improve their lives. To do this is incredibly difficult and challenging, yet they still come every day and have the thirst to improve their knowledge. Whether they are studying solely for travel, or for a more profound reason of changing their life direction, I want to help them and make the transition easier.
What is your favorite activity to do with your students?
Whether it’s general introductory speaking or they challenge me in grammar, I actually love to see who they are and discover their true character. For me to experience this from them in their second language is a huge achievement from them, and I find it's highly rewarding.
Hand-picked related content: HOW TO TALK ABOUT YOURSELF IN ENGLISH
Remy Dambron, Kaplan San Diego
Why do you like teaching international students at our San Diego English school?
To this day, I’m not sure if it was curiosity or fortunate opportunity that led me to pursue teaching ESL. I realized that I enjoyed teaching English to foreign students because of how magical and inspiring a cultural exchange such as this can be. English isn’t just a language with complicated grammar rules; it’s a vehicle for exchanging ideas, philosophies, and personal experiences that contribute to our growth as humans. I think that teaching ESL is a privilege and it serves as a learning experience for students and teachers alike.
What is your favorite activity to do with your students?
My favorite activity is a game that I invented in which students have to complete a grammar question or produce a vocabulary word. It is a fantastic learning activity during which they are equally as responsible for producing the material as the instructor is. It can be adapted to any level and can double as the ultimate icebreaker.
Victoria Buckley, Kaplan Dublin
Why do you like teaching international students at our Dublin English school?
There are numerous reasons why I teach in general, but I find such pleasure out of teaching International students because I love the multicultural aspect of it. I love that I'm not only learning about a wide variety of different cultures, but also that the students have the opportunity to learn from each other and form friendships that they never thought possible.
What is your favorite activity to do with your students?
I really enjoy just speaking and teaching vocabulary. Most of my students, when they hear a new word and translate it, get this Ah-ha! moment where their eyes light up as if they knew the word the whole time, but needed confirmation. When that happens, their self-esteem and motivation levels rise as they acknowledge that their speaking has improved. It’s a fantastic thing to witness and such an enjoyable experience to have.
Want to find out more about how you can study English at one of our 40 unique schools across the English-speaking world? Get in touch with one of our advisors today.
