Teaching English in 2010: Goals

Welcome, one and all, to a new year! I want to make a few changes to my teaching career this year. It’s been nearly two years since I came to Japan to teach, and although things have progressed quite steadily I still feel like I have a long way to go.

1. Improve my teaching

Teaching is a job that you can constantly get better at, I think. It’s not just about trying out new stuff, but about refining the basics – lesson plans, error correction and suchlike. I feel quite confident when I go into classrooms that I can deliver a quality lesson, but there’s always room for improvement.

2. Try out some new methods

One of my failings as a teacher is being too predictable. There are hundreds of teaching methods and tricks that I have yet to discover or try out, so in 2010 I want to make an effort to put a few ideas into practice.

3. Continuing Professional Development

I’m not the most career-oriented or ambitious person but it seems I should make at least some effort at CPD. The pages of jobs.ac.uk’s Career Development site are filled with CPD advice, so I’ll start there. Updating my CV seems like a good place to kick things off (I haven’t looked at my CV since I was 18… it still says my goal is to go to university).

4. Increase adult teaching

I like teaching adults. It’s easier than teaching children and more rewarding. Therefore, one of my goals is to increase the amount of work I have teaching adults. I also find that it is better paid that other types of teaching.

5. Advanced qualification

In effort to increase my marketability, improve my teaching and increase my confidence, getting an advanced teaching qualification seems like a good idea. MA TESOL or DELTA? Not sure yet. Either way it means a big commitment in terms of time and money. I might put this off until later on in the year.

What are your teaching goals for 2010? Share your ideas with us!