News from our grads
Dana in Czech Republic
This article came out in MX Magazine in Melbourne and Sydney, and we
thought we would share it with our newsletter
readers. Teach International graduate, Dana Twycross
shares her teaching experiences.
Why did you decide to teach overseas?
I decided to teach overseas because for me it seemed like the perfect way to travel overseas for a length of time. When you work and live in a different country you really get to immerse yourself in the culture and history of a place and its' people. Teaching was a perfect way for me to do this because I was really interested in working with children. I completed a Media Studies degree in 2002, and whilst I really enjoy that type of work, it certainly wasn't plentiful, or ultimately, very rewarding for me. So I decided on a change- and it's a good thing I did because I stumbled on to something that is worthwhile and something I am passionate about.
You
can get a job almost anywhere in the world teaching
English, and people really seem to appreciate
it when someone has travelled to a different
country to teach them! I
wanted to teach in either Eastern Europe or South
America. Within
three weeks of completing my Teach International
certificate I had been offered three jobs,
one in Slovakia, one in Poland, and one in the
Czech Republic. I
chose the one in the Czech Republic because it
was based in an ordinary government school with
children. I was
more interested in working in a school environment
than, say, a language school with business people. But
that's the great thing with teaching English, you can choose whichever
direction you want to go.
Did you enjoy it?
I enjoyed it so much! The school I worked for provided my accommodation in an ex-communist flat complex where I lived with a Czech couple. That was great because I got to see a lot of the Czech Republic that tourists don't usually get to see. Now I think of the Czech Republic as being a second home. It's a beautiful, picturesque country.
One of my flatmates,
Olda, was really shy with his English, and a
bit embarrassed to use it. We had a lot of laughs trying to talk
to each other using each others mother tongue. He was the one who
taught me all the words that the guide books
don't have- the ones that you wouldn't tell your
mother. My other housemate, Eva, had spent a year as an Au Pair in the
USA. She had perfectly
fluent English, and really helped me out so much. Her family took
me under their wing, and that was such a nice
thing because I really felt I got to experience average Czech life. Eva
had a lot of friends who were studying English, so she set me up with
some private students who I would tutor at night. I
laugh when I think about getting paid to go to
a pub, drink (excellent) Czech beer, and chat! That's my idea of
heaven!
What did you get out of it?
I am not exaggerating when I say it changed my life. I am headed in a totally different direction now. I have discovered that teaching is my passion. It's so rewarding to see people learn and know that you are making a difference in their life. It developed my confidence in myself immensely.
Any funny stories?
Unfortunately most of the funny stories that I can think about are perhaps not acceptable to print! There are a lot of mistakes that can be made with language. There was one case where I was telling my Grade 6 class to "Look at my picture". I didn't understand why they kept laughing, until I found out that the way I was pronouncing the word "picture" was similar to a very offensive, very vulgar, Czech word.
I understand you are doing your Dip. Ed. now, why is that?
My year teaching in the Czech Republic is directly responsible for me doing a Dip Ed this year. I found out what I want to do with my life- I want to teach. I think it is one of the most important jobs in the world, because a teacher is helping to shape the future. I'm sure everyone remembers the good teachers and the bad teachers at school. I remember how my teacher, Mrs MacCulloch, gave me a love of English and history. She taught me Soviet History, which was one of the reasons I wanted to go to Eastern Europe. She was a good teacher and she made a difference for me. We need good teachers.
Anything else you would like to add?
Do it!
Dana Twycross - Teach International Graduate
