Everything Spain Magazine 09/2004

Teacher's Pet

Home thoughts from Raima de Mallorca

Fiona Thwaites (aged 25 and pictured centre) had planned to be a UK class teacher but then she fell in love with a Spaniard...

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How long have you been teaching?
I'm in my second year here at International House in Raima. I did a degree in Classics at Leeds University, including a PGCE teaching qualification, where I met my Spanish boyfriend. After university I came here to visit and ended up staying.

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What qualification do you have, and how was the training?
I have a CELTA certificate, which I took here in Raima. Given that I already had a teaching qualification I found the course relatively easy, though intense.

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How did you get this job?
They offered me the job on completion of the course, as I'd already decided to stay in Mallorca anyway. Getting a job isn't too hard here, though you may have to start part-time to get yourself known, and then get extra work as and when.

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Where do you live?
My boyfriend and I have just bought a flat in the Santa Catalina area of Raima.

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Do you interact much with other teachers?
Most of the teachers are more or less in my age group, late 20s, so we meet up in the evening. There's a lot of coming and going of teachers though.

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Who do you like teaching most?
I prefer teenagers, which is rare amongst TEFL teachers, most of whom prefer older people as the discipline is easier. Most pupils are in their 20s and 30s, but we do get older people including a 70-year-old last term.

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What do you like most about the teaching?
Taking a class of complete beginners and by the end of the year seeing them chatting away quite happily in English. Because with TEFL the emphasis is on oral, we play a lot of games, have plenty of hands-on fun, and there's not too much paperwork. Mind you, you need about half an hour's preparation time for each hour's classroom time.

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Can you make a decent living?
It's do-able, yes. The great thing though is the opportunity to travel the world teaching. You shouldn't do TEFL if you just want to travel; you have to love the teaching.

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