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| Window on Norwich Market |
I've recently had to reassess what I am doing and where I am going in respect of my career in English Language Teaching. A series of short-lived experiences over the past year have made me question whether I wanted to continue in the profession. I have decided that I do want to continue, by effectively pressing a 'reset' button. What that means is that I have taken stock of my situation, what is realistic and where I want to be. I want to return to the city where I completed my Celta qualification in 2009. I am now looking for employment in Norwich. Being on my 'home patch' as opposed to struggling in a foreign working environment is what I need right now. It is better for my well-being.
I am also returning to NILE in January for a short professional development course as a way to booster my knowledge in the area of teaching English for Academic Purposes, because it is conceivable I will be employed again on pre-sessional or in-sessional courses in the future. This two week course will provide me with some of the knowledge and confidence to teach EAP.
I am also returning to NILE in January for a short professional development course as a way to booster my knowledge in the area of teaching English for Academic Purposes, because it is conceivable I will be employed again on pre-sessional or in-sessional courses in the future. This two week course will provide me with some of the knowledge and confidence to teach EAP.
In the meantime, I have been in contact with Mind, the mental health charity, about volunteering opportunities to teach low-level adult students migrant workers, refugees) in either Norwich or other parts of Norfolk. This is definitely going to happen. Small classes already take place at the Forum in Norwich and the likelihood is that I will either run a simultaneous class or set up my own class in the Fakenham area, or do both. Either way, I would take full responsibility for this ESOL teaching. Mind will organise the advertising and arrange for a suitable location. This will probably start fully in the new year, but there might be some team-teaching before that. I am also investigating language classes which take place at The King's Centre on a Wednesday. Volunteering is a way back into work again, whilst looking for paid employment and hopefully I will be able to continue with it once I move.
To get to this more positive frame of mind has partly come about through a recent investment in some hypnotherapy sessions over the past couple of months. I started looking into this complementary therapy following my brief stint in Dalian and went for my first session in early October. After a false start with one therapist that didn't work out, I have made some good progress with a second therapist. I had to seriously tackle the issues which were affecting my ability to focus on my job. I had to dig in the dirt of the subconscious mind and destroy some of the bad memories. It is important to reject any notion of having a permanent, untreatable condition. Labels that can provide excuses for poor performance need to be rejected. Visualising clearer goals and picturing a positive future self is important. I also had to overcome an initial scepticism and misunderstanding about hypnotherapy before any progress was made. It is all in the mind, of course, and lasting changes are only possible once you open up to the idea.
To get to this more positive frame of mind has partly come about through a recent investment in some hypnotherapy sessions over the past couple of months. I started looking into this complementary therapy following my brief stint in Dalian and went for my first session in early October. After a false start with one therapist that didn't work out, I have made some good progress with a second therapist. I had to seriously tackle the issues which were affecting my ability to focus on my job. I had to dig in the dirt of the subconscious mind and destroy some of the bad memories. It is important to reject any notion of having a permanent, untreatable condition. Labels that can provide excuses for poor performance need to be rejected. Visualising clearer goals and picturing a positive future self is important. I also had to overcome an initial scepticism and misunderstanding about hypnotherapy before any progress was made. It is all in the mind, of course, and lasting changes are only possible once you open up to the idea.
So by returning to Norwich, I am aiming to press the 'reset' button and to regain that confidence which peaked immediately post-Celta and during my MA, and has been high at other times when teaching (e.g. Bell in Cambridge, KSU, Riyadh and at CAFA, Beijing). I believe this is possible now and I have already taken steps to get back into work, starting by taking on two volunteering opportunities. My aim is now to be living and working in Norwich sometime in early 2014, which will become my new base.
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| Mind Flyer |
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| The Forum - current setting for the Mind Language classes |
Links:
Norwich and Central Norfolk Mind
NILE-ELT
