A TALK WITH ANDREW TAYLOR

TESL ONTARIO INTERVIEWS

ANDREW TAYLOR, November 2012

.

TESL stands for Teachers of English as a Second Language. TESL Ontario is tasked by the provincial government to certify the ESL and LINC Teachers before they are eligible to teach in the classroom.

1.  What motivates you, Andrew?

For me, teaching is not a job; it is a vocation.  Teaching gives me a great opportunity to serve people and make a positive contribution to their lives.  I have impeccable compassion for the immigrants especially the newcomers to Canada.  My mother was from the Philippines and my wife is originally from the former Republic of South Vietnam.  With my background and experience, I believe that I basically understand the challenges that the immigrants are facing in Canada, and I am committed to doing everything in my power to make things easy for them.   

 

My students embrace who I am and they understand that what I am doing is for their own benefits.  Every time I walk into the classroom and see the glow in the eyes of my students, I am truly energized.  Every time my students say good bye to me after class with the smiles on their faces, it gives me a reason to serve them better the following day.  I am truly inspired knowing that, we, people are more similar than we are different, and I focus on our similarities and embrace our differences.  I love my vocation as a teacher.  It is a joy and privilege to serve and make a difference in the lives of the immigrants.

2.  What is your educational philosophy?
I strongly believe that each student deserves a safe, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which they can grow and advance intellectually, emotionally, and socially.  To help my students achieve their fullest potential is my ultimate goal.  I will make sure that I can provide an environment that is secure, respectful and positive.  That is an environment that supports risk-taking, and promotes a sense of cooperation, but at the same time fun and family-like.

 

3.  Are there any best teaching tips you want to share?
I don’t know if these are best teaching tips but I will share them anyway.  (1.) Do not hesitate to regularly inject humor into your teaching.  (2.) Always affirm and validate your students and treat them with respect and compassion.  (3.) When the students make mistakes, offer them suggestions not criticism.  (4.)  Show them that you trust them, that you believe in their potentials.  (5.) And finally, outside of the classroom, do what makes you happy.  If you’re happy outside of the classroom, you will bring that energy back into the classroom.  In other words, if you want your students to be motivated, you have to take time to motivate yourself first.

4.  Describe the first five minutes in your class.
I start by greeting the students.  I make sure that I have a sincere smile on my face.  I always make eye contact with every one and I move around the classroom while asking “How are you?”  “How are you doing?”  “Did you have a good weekend?”  “How was your weekend?”  “How was your day yesterday?”  “What did you eat for breakfast?”  “How did you get to school this morning?”  “How was the traffic on your way to school?”  Then I’ll tell them a short story about my night, my morning commute, what I ate for breakfast, and some good news about current events that I feel are important for them to know.  Then I will proceed with a short pronunciation drill, a jazz chant or tongue twisters to warm up or energize the students.   Then the review of the old lessons will immediately follow.

5.  What else would you share about yourself?

I am not just an English teacher.  I’m also a singer, an actor, a stage director, a poet, and a dancer.  I use the classroom as a venue or a stage to educate, inspire, and entertain other people, and my students are my satisfied audience.  I believe in putting other people first.  I wake up everyday, knowing that I am privileged to have the opportunity to make a lasting impression on other people’s lives.

Andrew Aaron Taylor
Orange County, California

(January 2, 2012)

******

***

*