Leading by Example According to 51Talk’s Top Home-based Trainer: Teacher Jeff Fortune

For teacher Jeff Fortune, a teacher-leader has a strong and magnetic character that influences others to grow personally and professionally. Holding these qualities and values granted him the award of Top Home-based Trainer for 2020. What does it mean to be a teacher-leader for him? He shares how he leads by example.

Teacher Jeff Fortune is a 24-year-old who likes math and English. Being a people person, communicating and connecting with others is easy for him. On top of this, his friends say that he has a good sense of humor. Given his personality, teaching suits him perfectly. In fact, he had already been teaching in schools and online educational platforms before teaching in 51Talk. He taught as a junior and senior high school teacher for English and Literature subjects, a college instructor for English, Literature, and Professional Education subjects, and an online tutor for Korean students.

Eventually, he decided to become a part of 51Talk not only because of its convenience but also because of the professional growth opportunities that are available on the platform. For teacher Jeff Fortune, being with people who support his efforts to grow and develop his skills gives him a lot of energy. Since joining 51Talk, he has already been teaching for 1 year and 8 months, and he has also become a home-based trainer.

However, being a trainer is not an easy task. His greatest and constant challenge is getting teachers to set goals for themselves and to work their way up. However, putting himself in his team’s shoes and becoming a role model for them helps him overcome this challenge. He says, “Using a generic formula for encouraging people doesn’t always work. For me, speaking to them from their own vantage points redirects their perspectives toward any training session. They stop seeing each training session as an item to tick off on their to-do list and start seeing each as a step closer to becoming better at what they do.”

To be an effective trainer, he believes that one must be resourceful, innovative, positive, encouraging, humble, teachable, and goal-driven. These are a lot of qualities to live by, but these values made him one of the top 51Talk teacher-leaders in the country. Looking back at receiving this title, teacher Jeff Fortune says it is a humbling experience. He says, “It inspires me to grow more and continue to share my passion for teaching in order to teach, touch, and transform others.” To achieve this, he aims to pursue a master’s degree in language teaching this year.  

Teacher Jeff Fortune has one final message for all aspiring 51Talk teachers. He says, “Love what you do. Our purpose is always tied to what we do. That’s why you have to choose well and own it. Have a positive mindset. Be gentle with yourself. Know how to treat yourself well and be happy. Most importantly, be willing to learn. Be teachable.”

For those interested in teaching English at home, 51Talk, the leading online English education platform, offers the opportunity to teach online and grow in the profession. Pursue professional and personal growth with 51Talk today!