Company: Nova Group

Position: language instructor

Where did you go to school? What program did you attend?
I graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island with a Bachelor of Arts. I majored in sociology.

How did you find your current position?
Actually, two of my friends taught with Nova in 2001 and they recommended it to me.

Tell us a bit about your responsibilities.
When I arrived last year, I participated in Nova's two-month, paid training program. The first three days of training focused on preparing us for the first day of teaching. Throughout the two month-program, I attended workshops and met with a trainer for feedback. At the end of the two-month program, I graduated to a 'regular teacher'. We teach anywhere from five to eight lessons a day. Each lesson lasts 40 minutes. The structure makes the day go by so quickly. It's great. When I first began, I spent so much time going over the lesson plans but as I became more comfortable with the material, I was able to relax. The Nova lesson plans are very structured so it makes it easy to teach the lessons.

What is the most challenging aspect of your position?
Three-way lessons can be difficult. You usually have one very strong and one very weak student. You have to be able to adapt the lesson plans to meet every student's needs.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
I worked in the multimedia centre so we had a lot of repeat students. I saw students start at a very basic level and then,after six or seven months, those students were able to have a conversation. It's a really effective program. Hearing the students tell you how much they've learned and seeing their progress is very rewarding.

What skills have you learned through your work experience?
Patience. I definitely have a lot more patience now. For a career in teaching, that will help me.

Is there one accomplishment you are particularly proud of?
The week before I was leaving, I had the opportunity to teach a girl who had been having difficulty progressing. She actually called in to the centre after the lesson to praise me.

What are your future career aspirations?
I am going to be applying to teaching schools when I am done with this contract. I think this experience will help me. Entrance to teaching programs is very competitive.

What advice do you have for students looking to land their first job?
For people who aren't sure what they want to do, teaching abroad is such a great experience. You get to meet new people, to experience a new culture and, if you want to, to learn a new language. I think it is a great experience for recent graduates. jp
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