My turning points

Reading blogs is a wonderful activity. It just doesn’t help us learn new things but it also gives inspirations and also a wish or a reason to write.When I read  the confessions of a less than a perfect teacher, I thought about my evolution. And now I have a reason to write.

When I first stepped into the classroom, full of six graders. I thought I hadn’t learned anything about teaching. Although I had trained as a teacher, that was the only feeling I had at that very moment. I’m not going to confess here but I must admit I have too many about my first year.

And I don’t remember how but suddenly I discovered the Teachers’ Centre, a great meeting and sharing place for ELT teachers run by British Council. I started the training courses. Teacher Development, Professional Development, Academic Development, DipElt and so on… I attended the workshops there. I had the privilege to be trained by three extraordinary ladies, Ann Haznedar, Lesley Tahtalılıç and Denise Ozdeniz. Thanks to their enthusiasm and the things I discovered about teaching English, I realised teaching was just for me.

However, I must confess that I’ve became a different teacher (more humane may be) since my kids were born. Becoming a mother taught me and enabled me t o see their weakest points, struggles, problems at home, hearbreaks, need of somebody to rely on. I realised It’s not teaching only, it’s helping them to become independent individuals ready to share and work together, helping them to feel confident when they come across with a difficult situation, helping them to become problem solvers,It’s praising them when they do well and encouraging them to imagine and create.

Finally, my discovery of this virtual world (a bit late though. Yet,better late than never) via a very young and enthusiastic teacher. I’ve been learning loads from everybody. New tools, new techniques, new attitudes. It’s amazing and invaluable. An experience similar to the one I had at The Teachers’ Centre but not with 3 extraordinary ladies, hundreds of great educators.

I hope every teacher will have a PLN one day, to work together, to share and to collaborate without thinking about the borders…