Thrive in ELT

Want a more organized teaching life without overcomplicating things? Spoiler: The best tools are often the simplest. In this episode, I'm sharing four tools that have become mainstays in my ELT life. They're simple, they work, and some I've been using for over a decade. A tiered file sorter for class materials A desk caddy for supplies Google Calendar for time-sensitive tasks Trello for organizing...

Every English language teacher has something worth sharing. Even you! If you've ever thought your teaching insights weren't "publishable" (Yep, thought it myself.), the newest Thrive in ELT podcast episode will quickly change your mind. Michele C. Guerrini, the Reviews Editor for TESOL SPAIN, walks you through the process involved in writing a journal review. In this conversation, we explore:  ▪️W...

Ever been inspired by a teacher who taught 100 years ago? I have to say that it's a new one for me! In this episode I'm reviewing "The Thread That Runs So True" by Jesse Stuart. Surprisingly, this 1949 autobiography of a Kentucky mountain school teacher impacted me more than I expected. What struck me most: Stuart's experiences are extremely relatable. (Maybe you haven't been able to sleep at nigh...

Ever feel like you're constantly jumping from task to task? Planning one class… grading a few papers… checking email… then back to planning another class?   Thank goodness there's a better way! Batching your work (grouping similar tasks together) helps you get and stay focused and get more done with less stress. In this episode, I share how I batch three key areas of my teaching life: lesson plann...

Imagine that you're the testing coordinator at your school. It's the day before exams, and you've done everything on your checklist... except order the actual tests. No imagination needed here. This is real life for me! What happened next came as a surprise though. After years of working on being kinder to myself, I finally realized something in my head and my heart. It wasn't actually my fault. Y...

Who doesn't love a good checklist?! Well, it depends. Generally, I love them. But sometimes, they create more problems than not. (I talk about one experience I've had with that!)  The key is to use them wisely, which means they're better when set up intentionally and sometimes when they're not used at all. Listen in for four things I've learned from using checklists as an English language teacher....

Wish your work-life balance was a bit more… balanced?  Forgetting my sister's birthday was the wake-up call that started a gradual process of finding the work-life balance I needed to thrive as an ESL teacher. In the final episode of this season, I talk about the two key elements that moved me forward and can help make that wish a reality for you, too.   For full show notes of this episode, visit ...

Don't you love it when you find out that you're not the only one? That's the way I felt when I first had a chat with Ana Jereb a few months back. I felt it again when we recorded this latest episode. I typically go solo on the show, but sometimes I meet someone who impacts me and my ELT life so much that I want you to know this person too. In this episode, you'll learn about: how Ana experienced b...

Do you find it hard to actually apply English language teaching theory to your teaching? Often, research articles can feel distant, like the ideas are for a completely different world because you don't see how they apply to your teaching situation.  At the same time, you recognize that academic research in English language teaching is important to know about and understand – for yourself and your...

Does this ever happen to you? You're listening to music or cooking dinner and all of a sudden you get an idea for one of your classes.  It's very common for us English language teachers to think about work outside of work. I would even bet that some of our most creative thoughts come from these times! But as exciting and helpful as it can be, sometimes the way work presents itself in our personal...

Have you ever thought to yourself that there has to be a better way? Whether it's every week or every day, it can feel like there's always something to be done.  What often follows? The feeling that there's always something that could be done better. The reality of your English language teaching life is likely this: There will always be a lesson to plan, a course to revise, or an assignment to rev...

Do you want to thrive in your English language teaching life? Learn about the Thrive in ELT podcast and how the practical episodes can help you reduce stress and find more time to breathe by getting organized.   Connect with your host, Heather Johnston: Website LinkedIn Facebook  

Have you ever started a system and then gotten off track? (My hand is up!) We all need a restart every now and again, don't we? Some are easy, like the ones that tend to come naturally at the beginning of a new term. But others? They can feel like a disruption, a hassle, or even a disappointment. But here are three facts about organizational systems: It's OK if you put a system in place and it doe...

Do you find it a struggle to help your students learn vocabulary?  It's been a challenge of mine for most of my English language teaching career.  But last semester I discovered a resource that's helping me change that – all thanks to James Thomas.  VersaText is a free online vocabulary tool that helps language teachers like you and me create text-specific materials and help our students discover...

What words are in your job description? I'm guessing "teaching," but what else?  It's not uncommon for English language teachers to take on multiple roles, voluntary or otherwise. Other words I've seen in ELT job descriptions are ones like: advising chairing coordinating grading leading We could probably get a list that includes every letter from A to Z!  While balancing multiple roles can be quit...

What is the ratio of work to rest in your English language teaching life right now? 50:50? 60:40? 90:10? It takes effort, persistence, and likely a bit of trial and error, to get it where you want it to be. It won't always stay consistent, but there are certainly things you can do to find a better balance that's right for you. I surprised myself early this year when the professional development pl...

Do you ever find yourself saying this as an English language teacher?  "I'll (insert action) when things slow down." Whether it's starting back to exercising, catching up with a friend, or taking time to read a few pages of a good book, it seems like things never actually slow down. The truth of the matter is that it rarely just happens. So you have to make it.  How?  By intentionally resting. Bef...

What's new with you? A new semester often brings about a lot of "new," like: new students a new schedule new procedures new opportunities It also means a new season of the Thrive in ELT podcast, where I'll be sharing more tips and strategies for staying on top of your teaching game. Whether you've taught a course one time or 12, this newest episode will have you thinking about how to stay focused,...

Do you ever tell yourself that you'll "get to that later" because "now isn't a good time"? Certainly there are times when it's not. But when it really may be, is your reason for waiting because… it's all just too overwhelming? you're avoiding doing the thing? it's more comfortable to think instead of do? you're worried that your effort will result in a failed attempt? The problem with waiting some...

Want to get organized but aren't sure where to start? Starting is almost always the hard part. You ask yourself questions like: What's it going to be like? Am I really capable of doing this? Is it even going to work? What if I fail? But you know what? Without trying, you're never going to move beyond the frustration. Trying. That's one of the five stages of developing an organizational system that...

Do you approach your recurring tasks randomly or systematically? We all have them. Those things that have to get done – over and over again.  From the day-to-day to the occasional, from the simple to the complex. They're a part of what you do as an EAP/ESL teacher.  So… if you have to do them anyway, why not make things a little easier for yourself? One way to do this is by establishing routines. ...

Being prepared takes organization. And being organized takes… reflection?  Sometimes reflection can take a back seat to planning and teaching because it doesn't seem to have the same degree of urgency. But reflecting before, during, and after events in your ELT life provides you with an opportunity for gaining insight into what works and what doesn't for your teaching situation.  How you reflect a...

Have you ever had moments where you're calm, ready for the day, and then all of a sudden…  you're not? A six-letter word is what often results: stress. The good kind of stress can be motivating and even help you better fulfill your role as a teacher. The not-so-good kind of stress, however, can be overwhelming and cause you to lose focus, making it more difficult instead of easier to accomplish wh...

What's your next step when it comes to reducing stress in your ELT life? If you said organizational systems, you're an EAP/ESL teacher after my own heart! By now you know what organizational systems look like and how to choose ones that are right for you. The logical next step is for you to actually develop one. Wondering how?  In this episode, I share three ways you can do that.  No matter which...

Are the choices you're making, and the way in which you're working in your ELT life, actually making things easier for yourself? Sometimes we don't realize that what's creating difficulty in our lives is not necessarily someone or something else but our own decision-making when it comes to what we focus on. When and how we decide to work can affect the level of difficulty or ease we experience. Id...