Our Trainees
 Impressions from the CELTA Course in Moscow
With few expectations but reading the pre-course material and obediently packing warm clothing, I arrived in Moscow for the first time on a frigid January evening. Greeted and immediately taken to meet my roommates for the month-long course, we stayed up late into the night getting settled into our temporary housing.
Any thoughts of having extra time to tour the city soon fled as our workload was slowly laid before our still jet-lagged eyes. As we had invested our time and finances to learn how to become proper English language teachers, we would receive more than a bargain. Our tutors having many years of experience throughout the world were more than competent in sharing their knowledge in a well-organized manner while sequentially building on each lesson.
A little nervous about practice teaching immediately, I was set at ease in the comfortable and safe environment that was created where we could learn from each other, offer complements and suggestions, and receive valuable critiques from the tutors. In this way, we were given the opportunity to implement what we had learned throughout the day in a practical, hands-on learning approach to reinforce methods in lesson planning, preparation, and style of delivery. The course successfully covered all aspects of learning and teaching English as a foreign language to adults.
Although the course was demanding, most of us had ample opportunity to visit various highlights of Moscow, absorb some of the culture and history, as well as make new friends both inside and outside of BKC. The metro stations were alone something unique and artistic to behold. I even managed to go on my first one-horse open sleigh ride! For those who were a little more warm-blooded than myself, there were outdoor activities available to help them satisfy their thirst for fresh air and nature. Our friendly BKC staff helped us attain tickets to an opera and were always willing to help fulfill our needs.
All in all, the CELTA course was one that filled in many open gaps in my teaching capacities and provided the proper training that I had been longing for in order to offer the best education to my students. The knowledge I gained about the English language increased my confidence for presenting the language to students here in the country of Macedonia or anywhere in the world. Completing the CELTA course was a personal educational growth and development decision that reinforced my professional skills, and I know that the investment will aid me throughout the rest of my career.
Audrey C. Pitonak - CELTA Course, January 2001
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