Do you ever look back into what resources and/or style of teaching you used in the past?

The two pictures below feature the first board I have ever owned, which I bought with money I’d received from my first client as a freelance private teacher. It was small and cheap, but did the job and served us very well. I liked taking pictures of my notes and emailing them to students so they could remember the board content. I believe these were taken with my iPod, actually.

So here's a reminder that you can start small and grow slowly, and that your best bet is to surround yourself with those who believe in your skills and your dreams and your potential.

I, for instance, started teaching English in BH, Brazil, as a side gig to my law student life (Law student? what a joke! Maybe not that big a joke as I am a court interpreter now ). Around 2014, I decided to take a risk (after saving a bit of money, of course) and rented a small one-bedroom apartment where I taught my first private students as a full-time freelance teacher. Back then, I used very little technology in my lessons (the flat had printed worksheets all over the place), but put my best effort into every lesson (that has never changed).

This reminds me that I started from the bottom, without much more than the knowledge I'd acquired and an interest in offering something good, but above all that I have worked really hard and counted on the amazing support and respect of invaluable clients in every step of the way.

What I am looking at in these pictures is an insight into the past. My then other half, who not long after became an ex, turned up at my new place and complained I'd started "living in an English school", after I converted my living/dining/kitchen space (pretty much, every common area but the bedroom) into a classroom.

"So what? You say that like it's an issue."

Little did I know then, I'd go on to move to a nicer place, then to Europe, then I'd become an online English teacher and would advise colleagues about technology and creativity... That I, a non-native speaker, a foreigner, a Brazilian, would cross paths with so many students from various walks of life and nationalities and that I'd become a senior tutor and legal English teacher in London one day!

By then, I'd never been to the UK before, let alone thought this would be my home and I'd love it so much. That this would be the place where I found my purpose in life and received all the support and tools I needed to thrive. In London, of all places, is where I have felt most included, welcome, but above all, an equal.

23-year-old me would be thrilled to know that that was what the future held and so many blessings were in store for her. Perhaps she'd end things with the overly critical boyfriend even sooner? HEHE

Do you know what? What I can't stop thinking is knowing all these amazing things were going to happen at some point would not have changed the amount of effort she made in any way. I guess that's passion? Also, my handwriting is quite different for some reason!

And let me tell you something: I will be an English teacher until I am 100 years old.

Mark my words, I will die getting students to build their confidence over something that comes naturally for me, but is incredibly difficult for most of them.

Why? Because making people understand something I am so fond of gives me this enormous sense of purpose and fulfilment in life.

What about you?