Learning to teach english: an endless experience.

Abstract

When I think back about my life as a formal English teacher, I realize what I have done, accomplished and learnt during all these years. I have worked for eight years as a formal English teacher in different educational levels, besides I have had two years of instruction to be a teacher. I have had the opportunity to experience a wide variety of students and programs that have helped me to fulfill my goal to improve my teaching. I have had different experiences throughout my years of teaching. Therefore, I decided to collect my memoirs in this monograph to evaluate myself and, at the same time, to share them with those who may be interested in knowing how it is to become a teacher, after all the training received in the English Language bachelor’s program at the Universidad de Quintana Roo. Some of the main objectives in the English language program are to inform, instruct and, teach the methodologies and techniques required for teaching English. During the years of my education at college I was trained to teach young adults, but despite the lessons about language education shared in classes, and readings of some researchers in education (Chomsky, 1986 & Gardner, 1993), I was not trained to be a professor for young learners. Although the activities and theories were to be applied with any kind of students, I was not aware of the adequate methodology to apply to younger students. As a student at the university, my goal was to succeed in any teaching level, despite the lack of experience and reduced instruction I had for elementary students.