Pre CELTA preparation and application

[Mairi]

Oh ok. Well I had better get posting! Do i need to start a new thread 10 times or will posts like this one activate the PM system?

[5jj]

Oh ok. Well I had better get posting! Do i need to start a new thread 10 times or will posts like this one activate the PM system?

That one should have done it. You can check with the number shown in the top righthand corner of your posted message. Just posting this has put my total up by one.

ps. Tdol typo -- he meant to write it isn't available at first.

[Mairi]

ok thanks. Please could you send me a PM so i can see how it works?

[5jj]

ok thanks. Please could you send me a PM so i can see how it works?

Not till you've reached the magic number I'm afraid. I can send you an email (don't worry, I won't know your email address. The EU system sends it), but that's not what you want.

Only 5 posts to go!

[Tdol]

ok thanks. Please could you send me a PM so i can see how it works?

When you have reached 10 posts, if you left-click on someone's username in a post they have made, the menu that drops down will include a link to send them a Private Message. If the option doesn't appear, it means that they have chosen not to allow people to send them messages. Then it'll open the message box


I have attached a screenshot.

[Mairi]

brilliant, thanks Tdol! I will eventually get the hang of this!

[5jj]

brilliant, thanks Tdol! I will eventually get the hang of this!

And you are up to 6!

[Tullia]

I await Mairi's PM with interest :)

For those others following my progress: TP is over, my last assignment is in, and I think I'm looking at a B grade maybe... it's hard to tell though.

Tomorrow is the final day of input and general "tidying-up" of the CELTA blue book, making sure everything is in my folder, and then I'm coming home on Saturday. Despite being a five week course, it has FLOWN, and despite being the cause of a lot of sleepless nights, I'm sad it's over. I'd recommend both the course and the specific school, although I can't say I fell in love with Milan. The CELTA isn't perfect; I think there are some serious gaps that I know will cause me problems when I hit the classroom, but I'm also not sure how they could fill those gaps without making the course longer still which just isn't practical. Overall I think it's done what it said it would, and given me an introduction to TEFL, but there's still going to be a lot to learn once I'm out there.

Now.... job-hunting!

[Mairi]

I'm not far off now Tullia! :)

Congraulations on completing your CELTA! I hope you get the grade you want and I also hope that I sound as positive as you when I have completed the course!

I have lots more questions for you, but I will save them till I can PM!

[5jj]

I think I'm looking at a B grade maybe.
Good luck

The CELTA isn't perfect; I think there are some serious gaps that I know will cause me problems when I hit the classroom
As long as you are prepared for that, you are halfway to solving them already.

I'm also not sure how they could fill those gaps without making the course longer Overall I think it's done what it said it would, and given me an introduction to TEFL,
That's all CELTA and the Trinity Cert ever really claim.

but there's still going to be a lot to learn once I'm out there
It is one of the course objectives that you realise that!

Now.... job-hunting! There are plenty of sites out there offering loads of jobs. Some of them (both sites and jobs) are good, but some are dubious. You may well not find exactly what you are looking for in your first job, but try not to go for anything and everything just because you might feel inadequate as a beginning teacher. Look for establishments that offer some sort of support for teachers like you, and some kind of Teacher Development programme. Remember that some of the places operating under big names may just be framchised; they may not come up to the standards you expect of the parent school.

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