For those people who don’t follow me at Twitter/Plurk, you probably do not know yet that I am undergoing training in an International Language School as a part-time English teacher for Koreans. Yes, you’ve read that right.

I decided to apply as an English tutor/teacher because I need money to suffice my needs for my master’s degree.¹ I haven’t enrolled though because the results aren’t out yet. I am actually in panic because the deadline of enrollment is tomorrow. I hate enrolling late. I hate running after time. Why haven’t they released it yet?! Grr.

Anyways, luckily, I passed the initial interview and the teaching demo. It was my first time to do a teaching demo.  I was so nervous! So right now, I am attending the training. I should complete the 40-hour training then if I passed the exams and the other tasks, they could officially hire me. I hope everything goes well.

I really wanted to be hired there because I am having fun. When I was a kid, I dreamt of becoming a teacher, aside from becoming a doctor. Until now, I still want to teach. That’s the reason why I plan to take master’s degree to be able to teach and to be able to gain professional growth.

As I am observing the setting, I realized that there are a lot of things in common in having a patient and in having a student. First, you should be able to establish a rapport with your student, just like with a patient. You need to gain their trust because how would you be able to work with them if they don’t trust you. Second, you have to be patient with them. Students can sometimes be very unpredictable. Sometimes, they get what you’re teaching, sometimes they don’t. You have to be understanding. Just like in being a nurse, you have to be empathic with them. Third, teachers also learn from their students. It’s not about the lesson, per se, but also things that we could apply in our own lives. It’s called life lessons. As a nurse, I constantly learn from my patients too. I probably don’t have my inspiration to write if I don’t learn from them. Lastly, when a student (or a patient) appreciates you, the feeling is undescribable. It probably means you are effective as a teacher (or a nurse) or you probably touched his/her life in your own simple way which makes us feel fulfilled in our job. Wow. What a realization!

Well, let’s hope that I’ll get a good evaluation after my 40-hour training. By that time, I’ll probably be a better writer. Haha! Because seriously, while I am studying those grammar rules again, I feel so dumb! I feel that I suck in grammar and I feel ashamed of how I am writing here. Haha!

So that’s all for now. I’ll leave you a very funny scenario with one of our Korean students.

Luna: *singing* Pilipino, Pilipino, Pilipino ang lahi ko…. (Manny Pacquiao’s song)
Me: Luna, why are you singing that song? You’re not a Filiipino!
Luna: Oh. Okay! *then started singing….* Korean, Korean, Korean ang lahi ko…

1. My parents are going to pay for my tuition fee and I don’t want to add more burden to them. [↩]