The CELTA -- My Experience | Should you take it?

Before this month ended, did I want to talk about something that has been running through my mind lately. I also teased it on the fan page to this blog. What I mean is teaching certifications for ESL educators who are planning on teaching abroad (Especially the CELTA). Not only do I think that this sort of exams/courses should be accompanied by a bachelor's degree, but also with meaningful experience in the field. In the following post, will I go deeper on this topic and elucidate on the reasons why I think they way I do regarding it.

 

Recently, I encountered a friend who told me about his plans of taking the CELTA program. You see, this friend has been doing mission trips with American teams for a while now. Thus, you could say that his English is quite good. Albeit, he has almost no previous experience teaching. As a result, you do not have to be an expert prognosticator to believe that he is indeed going to have a hard time passing this course. Notwithstanding, it is an enriching experience that aids trainee teachers who have a strong desire to lean progress faster. Conversely, I do think that for instance in my case I would have higher chances of passing the CELTA. That is, considering the fact that I would have to prepare some time in advance.  Given the fact that leveraging my previous knowledge and experience would not be enough to succeed at it. Not to mention, I would have to save enough money so as to be able to register.  

 

Let me explain further mostly what you should know about the CELTA. It stands for "Certificate of English language teaching to adults". Therefore, it is by definition targeted towards the needs of adult English learners. Be that as it may, the principles taught on this course can be transferred to different age groups as well. Mainly, "The communicative approach" is the focus of what is imparted on this course. There are only two drawbacks to taking this program. First of all, the tuition fee for registration is about $1700 (South America) depending on the country. Apart from the aforesaid, the course per se is incredibly condensed (one month). Consequently, not allowing the applicants enough time to digest the information provided. Lastly, in order to even be accepted into the program in the first place, you have to submit an application form of 12 pages. To say nothing of the fact that you also have to pass a Skype interview after you submit your application (Both steps have no cost).

 

In review, the CELTA certification is quite a program. It is extremely condensed, and it entails mostly hard work to successfully complete it. In other words, you basically have to be on vacation to be able to pass the course. No major distractions can keep you from achieving your monthly goal. You have to take into account the sacrifices you are going to make in order to pass this program. Such as the investment and the hard work you will put into completing the assignments. Thus, if you are willing to take it, strive to be successful at it at all costs.

Is America Racist?

This is actually my first post from 2017 after a well-deserved hiatus . Things have not changed that much where I left off last time. Nonetheless, there is one thing I should mention. I got to make a lot of progress with my paperwork, and I am almost done with it. The aforesaid leads me to believe that I will be finishing up my studies in the foreseeable future after all. On a different note, I wanted to focus on the topic for today. Racism is surely a controversial topic. Albeit, nothing warrants discrimination of any sort against people who have done nothing wrong. In the following post, I will be talking about my take on the matter and my experiences with it.

 

First of all, I wanted to start by admitting that I have been on both sides of the spectrum. Have I been both the perpetrator and victim of this unspeakable attitude. Be that as it may, did I learn my lesson a long time ago. A case in point would be what happened to me just before I was about to return from my relatively long stay in Canada. You see, it was Christmas time back then. I had been job-hunting to no avail for almost a year. I presume they gave me a hard time due to my English still improving at the time. Back to the topic at hand though. Had I already sensed something suspicious after picking up my job-application form from this furnishing store. It was inside a big mall in downtown Toronto. The store manager replied in an extremely rude manner when I asked him about any job opportunities available. However, someone close to me told me not to worry and try the following day anyway.

 

Therefore, I went to the store after listening to this person with my application filled in. What happened afterwards was definitely uncalled for though. I confidently went into store while holding my resumé at the same time. Since I knew this so called manager would be difficult, I tried to hand in my document to one of his employees. Notwithstanding, the aforementioned only compounded the situation even more. Not only was his boss insulting to me, but he also lied to get out of the situation. For instance, one of the things he said was that he knew where to find me. That was obviously not the case though. After what happened I can only assume that he discriminated against me on account on finding out that I was Peruvian. That alone could have been more than enough for me to file a lawsuit against him. Be that as it may, I had neither the support, nor the knowledge of how to do it at the time.

 

Finally, I will close things out by saying as follows. I may have disrespected a few people back in the day. Even so, I was only a child who did not know better. It had been an unreasonable belief passed down from generation to generation in my community. However things have drastically changed now. As I was growing up, I started realizing what an inconsequential belief racism was. Especially when I finished high-school at 16. Not only do most of my best friends have dark skin, but they have also been the ones who have helped me the most. That completely disproves the idea that having white skin makes you better in any way. Before I leave, I will add a quote from Martin Luther king Jr: "I have a dream, that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character"

 

PS. I will also attach a video like I always do with some statistics regarding racism in the US. Since I could not find more about other countries for now.

5 Ways to Build Focus and Concentration - College Info Geek

Needless to say that I have not been posting in a while. Albeit, I do have my reasons. I will not go too far into detail. Suffice it to say I had some visitors over for Christmas. Not to mention I had a lot going on doing the paperwork so as to reapply to college. Thus far, everything has been marching well. The only thing I resent though is having had some time taken away from me by my indecisiveness. The topic for today is going to be regarding how to focus on the task at hand. Whether it is in college, work or whatnot. In the following post I will express my opinion on the matter and share some of the information I found on the web.

 

This is something I have never really had trouble with. Be that as it may, once I started working full-time, things changed somehow. My ability to concentrate still remained intact. Notwithstanding, through time it was harder and harder for me to focus on one task at a time. This is where Thomas Frank comes in. He is an extraordinarily talented You-Tuber who gives advice on time management and study techniques during your college years. Though, these recommendations could also be applied to other areas as well. Such as at the work-place, any other studying setting, or life in general.Back to the topic, there is something called "cognitive switching penalty". You see, each time you switch from one subject to another, you incur this sort of cognitive penalty. Your brain spends time thrashing, loading and reloading texts.

 

In order to complement the aforesaid definition, am I going to rephrase the pieces of advice Thomas gives on his video. First of all, you have to make sure that you pre-commit yourself with the task. What I mean by this is that you have to build some sort of device that binds you to finish the assignment before you actually start. For instance, you could make use of some Apps, such as "Bee-minder", or "Foca-filter". A more simplistic method though, would be to write down on a piece of paper "I have to get "X" done by 30 minutes", and know that there is a consequence if you do not finish. Second, having a distraction sheet next to you while you are working proves quite handy. By writing down all the things that distract you, you are more aware of them. Thus, it is easier to avoid them.Besides that, there is an app called "Forest". What this app does is giving you instant gratification so to speak. Basically, it lets you plant a seed, and if you do not touch your phone for 30 minutes, it grows into a tree. Moreover, meditation assists in improving your concentration considerably. To illustrate my point I will say as follows. I tend to go jogging on a daily basis. In between that process, I usually either meditate/pray for about five minutes as a sort of resting technique. I do so whenever I find the time. You are not obligated to doing the exercise routine as well. Even so, it could easily double your concentration ability.

 

Lastly, it is imperative that you eliminate any potential distractions For instance, by blocking distracting websites, and finding a peaceful place where to study. You could also apply the "Burnt ships technique". This technique helps you eliminate your ability to distract yourself. You can do this by using any of the apps listed above; or you could use the aid of a pen and a notepad to keep track of your distractions. Having said that, I encourage you to watch the video I am going to share next. On this video Thomas Frank himself  will elucidate on the matter in a more detailed way. Since he produced the content in the first place.

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