Let’s meet the teachers – Elle

My name is Elle, but I am fondly known by my students as ‘Ellie’ – well at least that’s just how they enjoy reading it. I always begin my lessons with a fit of the giggles because of this, and it sets the tone for the rest of my day. I am writing to you all from Pretoria, which is one of the capital cities of South Africa, and so this is the place that I call home.

Previously, when asked about some of my best personal attributes, I reflected on the question for quite some time, but now I can confidently respond by saying: ‘Patience.’. The world has made us understand the role of a teacher as that of sharing knowledge, while the role of a student is just that of receiving it. For me, having had the opportunity to work as a language teacher (for both kids and adults) on the EF platform, has inspired so many ‘ah-ha’ moments in me too – what I mean is, the past three years have been just as knowledgeable for me because I continue to learn so much from my students as they do from me.

In as much as we strive to make the experience a pleasant and enjoyable one for all our students, it is equally as important for us as teachers not to neglect the technicalities which form a part of a successful educational journey. This is something I have maintained by not only making my feedback very grammar specific but also by documenting it in written detail. This has helped my students have a clear understanding of where exactly they went wrong, how to correct their mistakes, and avoid repeating them in the future by always having my notes as an educational reference to look back to. (FYI: This is the most popular technique that scores me most of my 5-star after-class ratings from students, citing their appreciation of my attentiveness to detail.).

I go all out to create a good work-life balance so to help keep me motivated and enthusiastic in my job. So, in my free time, I really enjoy a good adventure that obviously rewards me with some food afterward, shopping, traveling, or even curling up with a good fiction novel on my couch.

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