Becoming an English Teacher

Dive: Professional - Teacher
Description: Helps others by teaching
Level: Level 1
Level Requirements: Trained as a teacher in some legitimate capacity or has already taught at least 4 students over a period of at least 3 months.
Certified On: Oct 1, 2024

Editor’s Note: On all dive certifications, we try to edit the writing as little as possible to preserve authenticity, personality, and writing style. We typically fix spelling errors, but minimally modify grammar and sentence structure (just enough to ensure readability).

Name: Russell Grant Break Diving Level: Recruit Number of Certified Dives: 3 From: New Zealand In: Australia

1. When and Why Did You Decide to Pursue This Dive At This Level? What was your inspiration and motivation?

I decided to pursue the Teacher – Level 1 (with my focus – English as a Second Language) in November 2010 – when I opted out of my Post Graduate Diploma of Primary School Teaching- Primary from year 1 to Year 10. I decided to go to South Korea to teach English to the primary school age group. This was an opportunity for me to teach to the child age range that I desired. It wasn’t teaching at a New Zealand Primary School, but I was teaching the age range I wanted to.

2. How Long Did It Take For You To Accomplish This Dive At This Level From The Day You Decided To Pursue It, And Why Did It Take That Long?

It took a moment to decide to go to South Korea. It was my chance to be able to become a teacher to small children. The process took about 2 months from making the decision to formally becoming a teacher in South Korea. It took me this long because the original education track I had pursued did not yield results I had hoped for.

3. What Was The Hardest Part About Achieving This Particular Dive Level?

1. Learning basic Hangul (beginner South Korean language).

2. Adapting to the learning style of South Korean children under the age of 16 .

-with their developmental stages outcomes at each age stage

-learning the perceived role of a a South Korean teacher in Daegu in 2010
-the extra learning expectations of their Mid Central South Korean parents at their current ages.

3. Adapting to Daegu, and their conventional culture in 2010. In Siji-don.

4. What Was The Easiest Part About Achieving This Particular Dive Level?

The easiest part of achieving this particular dive level was accepting the offer and getting on the plane. I was able to teach the age level that I wanted and got to travel and experience another country's culture.

5. What Is Your Advice For Someone Who Is Pursuing This Dive And Level?

If you are thinking about getting involved with teaching, choose the level that you might be able to most easily access. Find out who in your immediate circle of trust has had any experience teaching, coaching, or mentoring on any subject for a period of time. You will need to have someone of experience that you can ask advice from. When you have a situation, you will most probably be able to figure a solution out yourself, but it always helpful to have someone to ask for advice.

When you start teaching in any form, you are like a babe in the woods, and there is a large volume of information you will need to assimilate. A notebook or voice recorder can help you keep track of students notes, classroom personalities, and organizational material. If you can keep track of the information when you might have a moment, it can assist you to remember the entire picture better and reduce your learning curve and help you to improve more rapidly than you would have otherwise.

Take note of the little things more rapidly, you will demonstrate more proficiency and stickability to your cause. Think of your teaching and the impact you have on your students as a cause, not a job. Like Break Diving, it will make the burden of effort change into the flow of purpose and passion. Or at least , Purpose.

When you are teaching there will be one student who shows more enthusiasm or drive than other students. They will teach you more about how you can teach whatever subject you are teaching and the personalities of your students in as quick a time as possible than any other resource.

You also need to keep a notebook, record, or voice recording of your progress and experiences so that you can be more meta-cognizant of your own practices and how you can use yourself as a feedback for your own progress.

6. What Are Some Of The Best Resources You Recommend to Those Pursuing This Dive At This Level, And Why Do You Recommend Them? Please Include Relevant Weblinks, If Applicable.

An Idiots Guide to Teaching

Z-lib on-line Library

Your Language / English picture Dictionary

A pocket notebook and 4 color pen

If possible, if legal, a voice recorder.

Resource 1: The Complete Idiots Guide to Teaching - This is the Website to download the Book above,

Resource 2: Oxford Picture Dictionary - This is an Oxford Picture Dictionary download website.

Resource 3: Teaching Feedback Reflection Template -

Resource 4: -

Resource 5: -

7. Tell Us A Story Of One Of Your Adventures While Pursuing This Dive (At This Level).

When I was in my first year in South Korea, there was one student who was 6 or 7 years old who asked me to go on trips with his family. It took me a couple of weeks to realize that he was super keen on learning English and his parents supported him with us hanging out (all the time supervised by his parents).

This interaction helped my to rapidly acclimatize to South Korean culture rapidly and pick-up local etiquette. The young boy and his family rapidly taught me Hangul (South Korean Language) and helped me to experience local experiences.

The young boy also served as my translator at school so that I could understand all of the gossip that the children were saying. He also taught me all of the cartoons and trends that the students were interested in so I could adapt my lessons to be much more exciting, relevant, and applicable to my students.

As a result, I became one of the most popular teachers with the students. As a result, I got invited to a lot of my students' birthday parties, while other teachers did not.

After about a year, the young man wanted to get into an international school on a scholarship, so his parents would not have to pay his tuition. Over three months, I helped him study for his entrance exam, which he not only passed, but passed very well. He and I are still in contact after all of this time.

8. What Evidence Did You Submit to Prove You Met the Requirements for This Dive and Level?

I will provide photographic evidence of me as a Teacher.

9. Will You Be Pursuing The Next Level For This Dive? If Yes, Why? If Not, Why Not?

Yes, I will. I will progress onto the next level because it is very character developing.

10. What is the Break Diver's Creed?

The initial creed was "No Rules, No excuses, No regrets", formerly. The most recent addition is the "Dream Big. Mentor often. Achieve Together."

Certificate photo:

And having made this post, and provided adequate evidence to the dive committee, Russell Grant is now hereby certified by Break Diving, Inc. as: Professional - Teacher - Level 1. Congratulations ! Thank you for being an inspiration to others!

OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION: Break Diving has verified that the above individual meets all level requirements for this dive.

Certificate number: 247

The author above wrote this WYSEguidance post as one of the certification requirements to become certified by Break Diving, Inc. for a dive completed. Would you also like to find greater success, happiness, and friendship, and make genuine supportive connections with others around the world pursuing your same dreams? Come join us at Break Diving and soon your story will be the next one you read about on this site!

Read More Stories on the WYSEguidance Homepage