Mick

Mick Tutor Interview

Q. Hi Mick! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

A. A.I grew up in Sydney, Australia but I love to travel. I have been to a few places in South East Asia, such as Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. I have now made my home in Thailand, I live very close to Bangkok with my wife and young daughter, and I teach English in a private school. As well as completing my degree, I also have a TESOL Certificate to teach English to non-native speakers. I love studying to improve myself, and my teaching skills. In the last year I have completed a diploma course in teaching skills, a certificate course on early childhood education, a certificate course for teaching adult learners, and another on education in a changing world.

Q. According to your profile, you live in Thailand. How is the life there?

A. I have travelled to Thailand many times in the past, but I have now made the big leap to living here. Thai people are great; they are very friendly and welcoming. If you have ever been to Thailand, I am sure you know what I mean. There are some lovely places to visit, if you go to the South of Thailand, you have the lovely beaches, whilst to the North there are some lovely mountain ranges and waterfalls. Thai people are a lot of fun to teach, because they like to have fun in the classroom. Having fun is one of the main priorities in Thai society. Students learn better if they are enjoying their time in the class. I also like this because it makes the classroom an enjoyable and exciting place to study in.

Q. Do you feel any deference between Thailand and your home country, Australia?

A. Yes, I have great respect and love for both countries. I am staying in Thailand now and will continue to stay here, but I may go back to Australia for holidays in the future. I would love to see my family again and to visit Australia, but I have now settled over here.

Q. How do you spend your day offs? Is there anything you are into right now?

A. That is a funny question, because at the moment I do not have any days off. I teach at my school during the week, and on the weekend I am teaching on Cafetalk. When I do have time away from teaching, I love nothing better than going to my local coffee shop, ordering a nice iced cappuccino, and reading a novel.

Q. I’d like to ask about your lesson. What is the feature of your lesson?

A. I like to make sure that the students not only learn English skills during my lessons, but I also try to make them feel relaxed and that they enjoy the lesson. I know that learning English can be a difficult task for many students, and that they can feel quite nervous when learning, so by making them feel relaxed, I take away some of their stress. This also makes them speak in a more natural, and relaxed manner. I have a lot of resources, which I use, from power point slides, photos, and worksheets.

Q. Which lesson do you recommend to students first?

A. That is an interesting question. Firstly, it depends on what the students want to learn. I have free trials on nearly all of my lessons, so students are able to get a sample of my teaching methods. Secondly, I also have a free trial lesson, which allows the student and I to get to know each-other better and I can find out what level they are at, and which areas they need help in.

Q. Finally, could you give a message to Cafetalk students?

A. Lastly the most important message I can give you, is to believe in yourself. Do not give up just because you feel like you cannot do it at times or that somebody else is learning English quicker than you are. People learn at different rates, not everyone learns at the same speed. Even a little English skill is better than none. If you fail at something, do not see it as failure. Instead look at it as a part of your learning. When you have reached a goal, such as learning new vocabulary, reading a book or understanding an English movie, congratulate yourself, and give yourself a treat. Maybe buy yourself something nice, enjoy a nice coffee or take yourself out to a nice restaurant as a reward.

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Mick

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