We learn so much by doing! Often I wish I could re-do my formal learning experiences, but that's the point of learning: you are supposed to know more at the end than at the start! Nevertheless, I can share some of my learning here, and perhaps help someone else make the most of their opportunity!
Pre-learn
I did very little studying before I started the CELTA course. This was partly because I was overwhelmed and partly because I was scared. I was jumping out of my life into something completely new and I couldn't focus on the details at all! I would tell me younger self to use a good grammar book like Raymond Murphy's English Grammar in Use or (my favourite) Martin Parrott's Grammar for English Language Teachers and work through it. A basic grasp of tenses would have helped me a lot! Also, the set text for the course was Jeremy Harmer's How to Teach English and I've gone back to that book so many times in my teaching life. It would be worth reading it chapter by chapter and making reflective notes on any learning or questions before starting the course.
Understand the Craft
I took my CELTA in 2009, of course YouTube was a thing, but now I'd recommend using it to watch videos of people teaching. Search for 'teaching an ESL class' to see videos of classes in action, and top tip videos. It can be a bit scary to see what you're getting into but remember you will have a lot of support on the course. I found that I was so lost in the basics of what to do that I didn't really let my creativity fly until near the end of the course. That was when I fell in love with the job and also got my best marks.
Reflect
There will be moments of embarrassment, what feels like disaster, but no-one else will really remember these moments. Use them to learn. A good teacher reflects constantly on their teaching. This does not mean worrying endlessly about not being good enough. It means objectively noticing what went well. When did the lesson feel smooth and comfortable? What did the students learn in the lesson? Where did it not go well? Why? How could you do that part differently?
Focus on Learning
I made the mistake at first of thinking of a lesson as a time to fill. I would gather together a list of tasks to do and think about the learning afterwards. Now I know that planning starts with an outcome: what do you want your learners to be able to do by the end of the lesson? You can practise thinking like this before you start your training. When you engage in a task, what is the outcome? What are the steps you need to take to get there? This mindset will help you plan coherent, learner-focused lessons.
Mental and Emotional Health
Teaching courses can be vulnerable places. You have to stand up in front of others and be judged. Take care of yourself during this process. Remember that it is not you as a person who is being judged. It is your choices of task, grading of language, focus on the learning objective that are being scrutinised. Use your tutors and fellow students for support. They will be feeling vulnerable, too. Do not compare yourself to others. Everyone has a different teaching style. Ultimately teaching is about making connections with other humans, and this is rewarding and enjoyable.
