This is an adapted version of chapter 9 from A Classroom in Kyiv, ‘The CELTA: the Most Fun I Never Want to Have Again’, along with snippets from the Preface.
This was such a great read, Daniel. You really captured that mix of chaos, growth, and total magic that happens when you're thrown into something way over your head in a new city. I loved how you brought Prague to life — I could almost feel the spring air and hear the pub chatter. It’s funny how the places and people we stumble into without much of a plan end up shaping so much more than we expect. Thanks for sharing such an honest and nostalgic piece — it made me remember how the hardest experiences usually end up being the most unforgettable.
“Native speaker”: aarrrgghhh! What does that even mean? I’ve made my living from writing and editing (rather than teaching… though I run workshops about corporate writing, which is uncomfortably close to teaching at times) and I don’t know how often I’ve been confronted with the written work of a “native English speaker” that is only marginally understandable. Being a so-called native speaker of *any* language says nothing about one’s writing ability— but in the land of the blind, the one-eyed native speaker is Shakespeare.
Absolutely, I'm totally with you! I've mentioned in previous posts and I have an entire chapter in my book talking about how much I dislike the term 'native speaker'. In fact, I can send you that chapter if you'd like to have a look.
One other thing worth mentioning - much later I became a teacher trainer myself and I can tell you that the native speakers always struggled the most and made a mess of teaching (like me). But sadly, as you mention, the native speaker is Shakespeare and it's a tough struggle getting students to understand that native speakers are not better teachers. Good, conscientious students do know this, but most of them fail to see this. I saw this firsthand in 13 years of teaching in Ukraine.
I did a CELTA in Bangkok, back in 2003 or 04: 4 weeks of a boot camp run by sadist marines- not really, but the work was intense and very demanding. Great friendships made, there were around 20 of us, and I was the sole Asian quite a few Americans, NZ, an African living in Bkk , and it was a great mix. “ Native English speaker “- I had to run the racism gauntlet when I began teaching in Bkk: Thais can be v racist believe it! Not all my classes but some were very tough. Anyway, I only did it for a year and then got back to archaeology in Cambodia …. That’s another story
One of our two tutors was a sadist something-or-other, and eventually became a big name in the EFL field (but I forget his surname, it was Shaun something).
In my book I have an entire lengthy chapter about how much I dislike the term 'native speaker' and all the baggage that entails. It's funny, I spent most of my life teaching in Ukraine where everyone begged for a native speaker, and then many of my Ukrainian colleagues went to teach in Malaysia or Vietnam where they were welcome as...native speakers!
Great stuff, Daniel. Sounds like you all had an absolute blast. Prague is brilliant fun but, good God, I would not be able to do anything remotely productivethere.
Brought back memories of my TEFL course in Beijing. Very similar - 2 weeks chucked in a hotel in the middle of the city with an eclectic bunch of people - drinking every night until the early hours, then peeling ourselves out of bed to learn how to teach (allegedly). I made really good mates with a bloke from Essex - we spent every minute together, basically - a brilliant, funny guy. Sadly, when the course ended, I was placed in a school in Chengdu and he was sent to Harbin!
We never saw each other again but I have such fond memories from that time - I still think teaching English abroad was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Cheers for the reminder!
Glad I was able to rekindle some old memories. I've been thinking about it a lot the past few days. Crazy where the time goes.
You were smart to NOT make TEFL a career!
I had to check a map of China to see how far apart those cities are.
There was a British-Chinese woman on my CELTA course and we became good friends, we even ended up working together all summer in Uxbridge at a summer school (the scene of yet more partying and shenanigans - I kind of miss those early days of teaching, when I was still full of beans and not so cynical)
This was such a great read, Daniel. You really captured that mix of chaos, growth, and total magic that happens when you're thrown into something way over your head in a new city. I loved how you brought Prague to life — I could almost feel the spring air and hear the pub chatter. It’s funny how the places and people we stumble into without much of a plan end up shaping so much more than we expect. Thanks for sharing such an honest and nostalgic piece — it made me remember how the hardest experiences usually end up being the most unforgettable.
Thank you Kaila, glad you enjoyed it, I appreciate the kind words :)
'Way over my head' is definitely a great of putting it - I was up to my ears/out of my depth/thrown in at the deep end (choose your favourite idiom!)
It was a very magical spring, all the more so because spring is usually my least favourite season.
I can hardly believe where two decades has gone...
“Native speaker”: aarrrgghhh! What does that even mean? I’ve made my living from writing and editing (rather than teaching… though I run workshops about corporate writing, which is uncomfortably close to teaching at times) and I don’t know how often I’ve been confronted with the written work of a “native English speaker” that is only marginally understandable. Being a so-called native speaker of *any* language says nothing about one’s writing ability— but in the land of the blind, the one-eyed native speaker is Shakespeare.
Absolutely, I'm totally with you! I've mentioned in previous posts and I have an entire chapter in my book talking about how much I dislike the term 'native speaker'. In fact, I can send you that chapter if you'd like to have a look.
One other thing worth mentioning - much later I became a teacher trainer myself and I can tell you that the native speakers always struggled the most and made a mess of teaching (like me). But sadly, as you mention, the native speaker is Shakespeare and it's a tough struggle getting students to understand that native speakers are not better teachers. Good, conscientious students do know this, but most of them fail to see this. I saw this firsthand in 13 years of teaching in Ukraine.
My experience was so similar! I did mine in Seville in 2005. (I had considered Prague, actually….)
I think we experienced the golden age of teacher training courses. These antics would not fly nowadays! It’s become much more professional.
Like you, I’m trying to decide what I want to do after my 20 years “stint” as an English teacher. 🤣
Wow, that’s funny - we could’ve ended up on the same course in Prague.
I don’t think I’ll ever figure out what I want to do!
Hi
I did a CELTA in Bangkok, back in 2003 or 04: 4 weeks of a boot camp run by sadist marines- not really, but the work was intense and very demanding. Great friendships made, there were around 20 of us, and I was the sole Asian quite a few Americans, NZ, an African living in Bkk , and it was a great mix. “ Native English speaker “- I had to run the racism gauntlet when I began teaching in Bkk: Thais can be v racist believe it! Not all my classes but some were very tough. Anyway, I only did it for a year and then got back to archaeology in Cambodia …. That’s another story
One of our two tutors was a sadist something-or-other, and eventually became a big name in the EFL field (but I forget his surname, it was Shaun something).
In my book I have an entire lengthy chapter about how much I dislike the term 'native speaker' and all the baggage that entails. It's funny, I spent most of my life teaching in Ukraine where everyone begged for a native speaker, and then many of my Ukrainian colleagues went to teach in Malaysia or Vietnam where they were welcome as...native speakers!
Thanks for reading and commenting!
(I'm going to send you a DM with a question)
Great stuff, Daniel. Sounds like you all had an absolute blast. Prague is brilliant fun but, good God, I would not be able to do anything remotely productivethere.
Brought back memories of my TEFL course in Beijing. Very similar - 2 weeks chucked in a hotel in the middle of the city with an eclectic bunch of people - drinking every night until the early hours, then peeling ourselves out of bed to learn how to teach (allegedly). I made really good mates with a bloke from Essex - we spent every minute together, basically - a brilliant, funny guy. Sadly, when the course ended, I was placed in a school in Chengdu and he was sent to Harbin!
We never saw each other again but I have such fond memories from that time - I still think teaching English abroad was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Cheers for the reminder!
Way too much of a blast I'd say!
Glad I was able to rekindle some old memories. I've been thinking about it a lot the past few days. Crazy where the time goes.
You were smart to NOT make TEFL a career!
I had to check a map of China to see how far apart those cities are.
There was a British-Chinese woman on my CELTA course and we became good friends, we even ended up working together all summer in Uxbridge at a summer school (the scene of yet more partying and shenanigans - I kind of miss those early days of teaching, when I was still full of beans and not so cynical)