It's good to be back in the classroom!

After hosting virtual courses since April due to travel restrictions with the pandemic, we are so pleased to have students back on site again at our training centre in Siem Reap!

Today we have graduation for these trainees, and a new group starts on Saturday. Some of our graduates who did our virtual courses are now joining us onsite for practicums and job assistance.

We asked our graduates what they would tell a future Destination TEFL trainee, and here’s what they had to say:

‘Dear future student,

Be ready. This is not just a course or a class to take to add to your resume. This is an in depth, all in experience that will not only change your perspective on how hard teachers and trainers work, but how hard it is to get this certification. I know, this sounds dramatic, but trust me when I tell you that it is completely worth it. I cannot tell you how much I have learned as a student during this course that are not just applicable to teaching English, but to life in general

You will not just make friends and classmates, but you will spend countless hours with people that you soon call family. The people that you will work alongside with will not only support you in class, but out of class as well. Learning in the classroom is just a fraction of the learning you do while in this program. The other parts of it come from working with your peers or while you are teaching kids all together.

The last thing I want to leave you with is that the training and care you will receive from the staff is second to none. You are not just a student. You are not just a number. You are an individual that will have to earn your certificate and the staff will make sure of that. The simple fact of the matter is that they care, and when it comes to teaching of any kind, that is the most important thing of all.’ – TV

‘I’ve found the 140-hour Destination TEFL course to be a really enriching experience, and I hope you will as well. What I was immediately intrigued by from the course’s start was the environment that you suddenly find yourself in. Aside from the fact that you are halfway across the world from home, you find yourself sitting in a room with fellow trainees from every corner of the world; in my case, countries I truly knew nothing about. This unique experience presents the opportunity to learn from each other, and really get to work with people that carry ideas and mannerisms from almost every continent. It’s incredibly fun and makes for a lot of good humour and nice atmospheres, but it is also an immense space for growth in terms of group working and spontaneous collaborations. My biggest piece of advice would be to embrace the social part of the course - really get to know your peers and enjoy your time with them, because it’s the people that make the experience.’ – YR

‘This course has been one of the best things I have done in a long time, and I hope that

you get as much value from the experience as I have. No matter how daunted or challenged you may feel during the course, please know that you are in good hands. The team and the amazing Tina (our tutor), have so much enthusiasm and energy, making the task of learning so much fun.

I will admit that, as an older student, I had a few moments along the way and felt overwhelmed. Be prepared for some challenging assignments and a few late nights. Be prepared to make mistakes! What seems not to make sense sometimes, falls into place through the study. My advice is to ride this wave and ask for the help you need, not only from the team, but from your fellow trainees. Through talking to others in the class, you will realise that you are not alone. They can often help you find solutions to the problems you may be having, as many students on my course, had previous teaching experience.

Remember to have fun! You will play many games, so just find your inner child and let go!

My confidence in myself has increased immensely, both professionally and personally.

I simply suggest that you give yourself to the course, enjoy every second and the value of people around you. What you learn here, you can relay to your own future students!

You won’t regret it. Good Luck!’ – JF

‘It’s been great experience, I enjoyed the whole process and learned a lot. If you signed up for Destination TEFL, you are on your way to learn many teaching techniques and fun games you can play in the classroom. The best thing about learning all of those were that we actually played those games in the classroom, and did those activities ourselves so we would know how students will feel, we actually put ourselves in our students shoes. You would also have fun time teaching Khmer kids, being in the real classroom environment, interacting with students. The staff are very friendly and kind, they helped us a lot, even after their working hours, I am really grateful for that. To all the people who are just starting: No need to be nervous, you will enjoy it and have a great time here.’ – SR

‘You would probably going to have the exact feeling as ours on your first day in Destination TEFL. The course is exciting and for sure you would enjoy it! Always remember your goal: “to become a great teacher to students who don’t speak English”. Destination TEFL is a safe place to celebrate mistakes because they would guide you to become an effective teacher through giving lessons about teaching techniques, applying fun and interactive activities, hands on teaching practical and more! Make sure to build rapport among all your peers and instructors, it will make your course run smoothly. Think of this opportunity as an investment for your teaching growth. You will make mistakes, but you will learn a lot in the end.

Do not stress too much, it will be fun! Take it easy, but responsibly! Enjoy and welcome to Destination TEFL!’ – MM

If you’d like to have a life-changing adventure as these graduates have done, pop us an email at admissions@destinationtefl.com for an info pack. Applications are open for the last course of 2020, starting 28 November, and our first course for 2021 after the Christmas break starts on 9 January.