Teacher training course: testimonials of Anahi and Bruno

Our most recent teacher-training course has just finished. It has been a pleasure to have Anahí Bertelli and Bruno Zarraluqui, future teachers of Spanish, with us, and who have enjoyed this intense month.

Anahí is about to finish Hispanic Philology; half-Spanish and half-Brazilian, she is passionate about the Spanish language, and has a great motivation for teaching. Bruno, who was born in the United Kingdom of Spanish parents, has spent his most recent t years in Madrid. In the near future he would like to combine his work with teaching Spanish, preferably abroad. This common interest has made their paths cross in TANDEM; from here they have both had a memorable experience with a great desire to continue.

Testimonial of Anahí:

My experience at TANDEM began a short time ago, when a friend of mine told me about ELE’s teacher training courses at the school. From the first contact I had when I began to explore the program, I saw the honesty and closeness with those who work here.

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I signed up and soon after, the course started. It has been a busy month for me, combining studies and work, but incredibly satisfying. Every day I got up very motivated by everything I was going to learn, and the hours at school were always flew by..

The motivation that led me to do this course has been reinforced during the process. I felt every day I learned new things, both in the observation classes and in the workshops. My work as a dance teacher has helped me a lot to understand teaching methodology and human behavior, and at the same time, this course has made me better in my work, so I feel that I have learned twice as much. I have been fortunate enough to meet students from different countries and understand their different ways of learning. Contact with Brazilian students has allowed me to practice my Portuguese a bit, so I am delighted. Meeting my partner, during classes and breaks, made me feel comfortable in this brief but intense trip. The teachers we observed and who led workshops have taught me how there are various ways of teaching, of dedicating ourselves to something for which we have a vocation, and, in short, being professional.

Now that the course is over, my idea of dedicating myself to teaching Spanish is still alive and growing stronger. Despite the difficulties involved in entering this world, I am very eager to start. If everything goes well, I will continue to train, learn and grow… of course, abroad.

I want to thank the entire TANDEM school for making me feel so good, and especially to my super companion Bruno, for the “subjuntivín”; to the students with whom I have shared activities, for making it easy and interesting to learn; to Emil, for his attention and his teas, hehe; to María Jesús, for teaching me, making me think and for being a little crazy; and, above all, to my tutor Susana, for instructing me, for making me see even more clearly that it is not the same to know, as to know how to teach and, above all, for reminding me of my love for grammar.

To all those who want to learn and teach Spanish… come to TANDEM!

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Anahí Bertelli

The experience of Bruno:

I’ve always believed that there is a teacher in all of us; no matter what we do in life, what status or role we play in society. If there is an ounce of generosity in our nature, there is a teacher hidden somewhere within us.

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For some of us there comes a day when we realize we may enjoy it, with all its positive and negative points, and forge a career for ourselves. So here I am writing on Tandem’s blog and sharing it, for it is here in Tandem’s academy where I have received my initial course in teaching Spanish as a foreign language. It’s been an interesting experience for many reasons: Observing classes by highly qualified teachers (Susana, María Jesús, and Goyo), sharing moments with my fellow teachers helping out in classes, learning about individual students essential needs, as well as meeting them.

How can I forget the first day I went for information, where and I was greeted at the entrance by the director Matilde. An omen if ever there was one. One that I could certainly not let go by. And the great Emil (Sibyl for the first couple of weeks; I’m terrible with names) who took care of all of us.
So thanks TANDEM for an unforgettable experience and the push I needed to take my next step in this new challenge of teaching Spanish as a foreign language.

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Bruno Zarraluqui

Spanish teachers training

This article is also available in Spanish.