Fabienne K.
About me
| Fabienne K. | |
| English and Related Literature | |
| English and Related Literature | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Derwent | |
| 2015 | |
| Finland |
My employment
| Foreign English Teacher Kindergarden | |
| Wujiang School / TEIC Teach English in China | |
| China | |
| Education | |
| 2015 |
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A day in the life of a Foreign English Teacher Kindergarden in China
YSIS experience has helped with teaching position in China
My career goals when I graduated
I was interested in becoming a teacher and while I still intend to study further, teaching abroad allowed me to gain paid experience teaching and gave me the opportunity to work abroad.
My career history
I graduated in July 2015 and moved to China to work as a foreign teacher in August of the same year.
What has helped my career to progress
While at University I participated in various careers programs such as York Students in Schools and Arts programs. I think making the most of opportunities and having an open mind and ability to take risks (such as move to China) has really helped me gain new skills and experiences.
Courses taken since graduation
As part of my application to work in China I took a 60 hour online TEFL qualification which included 2 weeks training in Beijing. This taught me methods and practises for teaching English as a second language.
How my studies have helped my career
Through my literature degree I developed high level communication skills in both written and spoken English through essays and presentations. I developed confidence public speaking, which is essensial in a classroom enviroment and also developed good organisation and self-mangement skills. The foreign literature component was also useful as moving abroad involves learning about a new language and culture.
What surprised me about my career so far
Moving abroad makes you realise how many opportunities there really are and has given me the confidence to work on a more international scale. It is amazing how much is out there, from developing language skills, seeking higher leadership roles or working in other fields as well as Education.
Where I hope to be in 5 years
I intend to study for a PGCE to develop my teaching skills and have more formal qualifications to become a fully qualified teacher. I am open to working in various locations and to then gain more experience and advance my career and take on more responsibilities and roles.
My advice to students considering work
Teaching abroad offers more than just teaching experience, so even if you do not have long term ambitions to become a teacher I would recommend it as an amazing opportunity to develop your skills or learn more about China. It is definitely worth considering international placements.
My advice about working in my industry
Teaching abroad is a great way to gain experience, however it is worth gaining strong qualifications to get the best jobs abroad or back in the UK.
What I do
I am the foreign teacher in a Chinese Kindergarden. I must plan and carry out lessons for students aged 4-8 to help them learn English as a second language.
Skills I use and how I developed them
I must be organised and creative to plan suitable lessons and activities for my students and able to adapt to unexpected changes in timetable/resources or a student's needs.
I must be lively and upbeat to make lessons engaging for my students - working in Kindergarden involves lots of singing, dancing and games!
What I like most
My students are wonderful and working abroad is a great way to challenge yourself and learn about a new culture.
What I like least
Sometimes language barriers or cultural differences can feel overwhelming, particularly in the beginning, although these differences are of course also what makes teaching abroad so exciting!
What surprised me most
It is great to be given so much responsibility over my lessons from the offset - I plan all of my own lessons and create my own resources.
Next steps...
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