Dale Youngs took our TESOL Certificate course in 2011, and talked to us from his ESL teaching job at the Sullivan Center in Greenville, SC. We checked in with Dale, and here’s what he has to say now after 4 years in the field…and around the world!
Kim, I love teaching internationals! Whether they come here or I go to where they are (which, I guess would make me the international now, wouldn’t it!?) This photo is a shot of me teaching 15-20 year olds in Beijing. I was there for three weeks. I was also on a trip to Albania, Macedonia, and Greece a couple of years ago and used my ESL for part of the time to do an entry-level class. I’m leaving in January 2015 for three weeks to go to South Korea to teach ESL to newly-arrived North Koreans who have recently escaped from North Korea.
Learning how others live, how they celebrate the holidays, how their traditions are different from mine – it’s all a part of the Grand Adventure of life. I can’t imagine how plain life would be if I was teaching plain vanilla Americans. I’m so happy with the banquet of the whole world that ESL has afforded me!
Check out Dale’s original interview in 2011…
“My goal is to have students who are so excited to learn that they’ll do anything they can
to come to class – for fear of the fun they’ll miss out on! I want every student to leave my
room every day with a huge dose of ‘I did it‘.” Enthusiastic, energetic, creative and
encouraging are the words Dale Youngs uses to describe his best teaching qualities. He
lists recent classroom activities as proof: eating different kinds of apples while reading
about North Carolina apple picking, demonstrating line dancing, and doing aerobics to
learn the imperative.
How does teaching make you feel?
Teaching changes me every day because I come into contact with amazing people from
all over the world. It’s not just about grammar and spelling and punctuation. I truly love
what I’m doing and can’t wait to see my students.
Describe a memorable student.
Guillermo has been a wonderful reminder that speaking English poorly does not equate to
lack of intelligence. He’s always a bit rumpled and behind schedule but he can do just
about anything from tending to their children while his wife works at an American
company to doing plumbing, welding and electrical work in their home, to designing and
making a fully-functioning robotic hand! Besides his superb mechanical skills,
Guillermo makes puppets that he takes to schools for programs on gangs, drugs and his
Mayan culture.
Why did you seek TESOL certification?
I thought I’d be moving to the Balkans and wanted the certification to open doors for me
all over the world. That plan didn’t work out but my teaching in the U.S. will make me
even more qualified if I am ever able to go abroad.
Any advice for other TESOL grads?
Make connections, advertise yourself, don’t be afraid to knock on doors. Take risks and
jump in with both feet. I just got my certification in June and now look at me! I’m in the
classroom and up to my eyeballs in lesson plans, bleary-eyed from lack of sleep since I
have another job besides teaching. But all I can think is, “This is such a blessing!”
Are you ready to join the Grand Adventure of Life and give teaching a try, too? Join us for one of our upcoming TESOL certificate courses and get ready to transform your world into a cultural feast.
