Establishing Close Bonds that Make a Lasting Impact

Teacher Wayne had always known he would become a teacher at some point in his life. A graduate of BS Psychology, he pursued a career in the pharmaceutical industry for almost two decades before eventually chasing his lifelong dream to be in the academe.

Though the main reason for his career change was so he could work closer to home and be with his family, Teacher Wayne took it as an opportunity to become the mentor he’s always wanted to be, and it was while he was taking up his teaching units when he discovered 51Talk.

“My former classmate introduced me to 51Talk. She told me I could earn from home by teaching online and have more time with my family,” shared teacher Wayne.

Interested in how 51Talk’s teach-at-home setup would give him a steady source of income while making up for lost time with his wife and two sons, he signed up as an online English teacher on the platform in 2019. Not long after that, Teacher Wayne began his teaching journey with 51Talk.

At first, teacher Wayne had a hard time dealing with the different personalities of his students, especially when it came to getting their attention. But by constantly attending 51Talk’s free training workshops, teacher Wayne was able to hone his teaching skills and even found a way to connect with his students.

“There were a few workshops focused on how to approach students based on their personalities,” teacher Wayne said. “These were a big help, especially because there are different types of learners. From that, I was able to tailor-fit my lessons according to what would be most effective for my students.”

It didn’t take long for teacher Wayne to try this technique on his students. Before each lesson, he would meticulously review the materials and check his students’ profiles so he could practice his delivery, which he varied depending on what would be most interesting to them.

By consistently following this approach, it became a habit for teacher Wayne and teaching for him became a breeze. The best transformation, however, can be seen in his students, who have shown significant progress in their lessons.

“I have a student who was very quiet at first,” he shared. “When I noticed Tom likes to eat, I started using fruits as my rewards for him. He’s a visual learner, so I would also incorporate toys in lessons. Both approaches helped. Eventually, Tom became more open and conversational in our lessons, which made learning for him easier.”

Teacher Wayne added he also has another student named Johnny who used to turn off his camera during lessons. Despite that, Johnny was responsive, so teacher Wayne made sure to keep him engaged by asking questions. After a few weeks of doing that, Johnny got comfortable with him and started turning his camera on.

“I noticed Johnny is a visual learner as well so I would always use a whiteboard and send pictures in the chat box,” teacher Wayne said. “Before, he would only answer in either yes or no, but through my constant encouragement, Johnny’s grammar improved, and he started speaking English in full sentences.”

With every new student, teacher Wayne takes his time to get to know them. Though he admits the first few lessons might be difficult, the rest of the teaching and learning process becomes easier as soon as he establishes a connection with them.

When asked on whether he’s pleased with how his teaching career is going, teacher Wayne admitted that his experience as an online English teacher at 51Talk has exceeded his expectations of what he envisioned his dream career would be like.

“Apart from seeing myself grow professionally and personally, I feel happy whenever I see my students learn from me and that I’m making an impact on their lives,” teacher Wayne shared. “It just brings a different sense of fulfillment. This is why 51Talk has been a blessing to me. It came into my life the moment I needed it the most.”