TEFL teachers and prospective TEFL teachers always have epic New Year’s Resolutions. No one in the TEFL world has ever said, “I’m going to finish Netflix this year. The whole thing.” Generally, resolutions made by TEFL teachers living abroad or planning to live abroad are a wonderful mixture of big and small. I’m going to spend four months hitchhiking through Patagonia. Oh, and I’m going to study Japanese for an hour a day.

In addition to being fascinating, the New Year’s resolutions TEFL professionals make are often an indicator of where the industry is headed; sometimes quite literally. If we hear enough stories about current TEFL teachers traveling to a particular far flung destination, it is in our best interest to consider adding that location to our list of paid global internship destinations.  

We Want to Hear from YOU 

Comment. Tell us your New Year’s resolutions.

Because we love your story.

Because you make us better.

And now, a bit about us. Everyone here at the TEFL Institute of Ireland got together this week to hash out our plans for 2018; both professional and personal. It was a fun exchange and it was nice to see that we are all thinking along similar lines. Here is what we came up with.

TEFL Institute of Ireland Goals

Help 1500 new students launch their TEFL careers:

That may sound ambitious but it is an honest reflection of industry growth. Teaching English abroad is no longer a niche career. It is booming and we are proud to be part of the movement.

Add THREE exciting new destinations:

Our all inclusive TEFL Scholarship Program is already helping students start exciting new lives in places like the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. Our paid global internships introduce TEFL teachers to Cambodia, India, Brazil and many other exciting destinations. We have some expansion ideas of our own. But once again we would love to hear from you. Where would you like to start your TEFL career?

No “Look at me! Look at me!” nonsense:

When you go the places we go, when you see the places we see, it is easy to slip into long-winded, whimsical tales of the open road. We are not going to do that this year. We are going to let anticipation build for all of our 1500 outgoing students. We are going to let their adventure be their own.

Also, we’ve got to do something about the travel selfies. There is nothing wrong with capturing a memory but oversharing those memories rings false. In 2018, we will continue capturing images of the amazing destinations we visit but we will show our TEFL students just enough to peak their interest. Everything else will be added to our collection of personal memories.

Our Personal Goals 

One of the primary reasons people choose a career in TEFL is the pursuit of work life balance. The staff here at the TEFL Institute of Ireland is no different. On the life side of the equation we are hoping 2018 will bring us the following:

Play Dates:

At the TEFL Institute of Ireland we are a growing family with growing families. At least two staff members are hoping to have children this year. By the time 2019 comes around the office cuteness factor will have greatly expanded!

Real Conversations:

Technology, for all its wonders, can be a real conversation killer. Our intention is always to provide our students with the best TEFL education and career counseling services in the industry. And in order to do that we have to get to know our students on a personal level. We need to have real conversations about motivations, goals, and the basic minutiae of life. In 2018, we are going to concentrate on putting the tech aside in favor genuine human interaction.

Have a New Adventure:

We are very fortunate here at the TEFL Institute of Ireland; travel is part of our business. But in order to maintain work life balance it is important to continue seeking adventure and new experiences in our personal lives as well. We will continue to expand our travel map. We will introduce our kids to the wider world. We will consistently remind ourselves why we got into TEFL education. And why we couldn’t imagine doing anything else.