Teacher Profile: Jasmine Tompkins
Focus on… Jasmine Tompkins
Welcome to our Teacher Profile series! In these posts we will be profiling our teachers so that you can get to know them a bit better. Comments and additional questions are very welcome!
“Teaching is fun because of the people you meet. I enjoy helping people to communicate, because I am interested in learning what they have to say!”
What is your name?
Jasmine Tompkins (Jaz)
How and why did you get into teaching?
Shortly after university, I ran out of money while travelling in Colombia. I started teaching with Berlitz language school in Bogotá, so I could keep exploring the exciting country. Six months later I had found I loved teaching and returned to the UK to formally train as a teacher.
Teaching is fun because of the people you meet. I enjoy helping people to communicate, because I am interested in learning what they have to say!
Where have you taught?
Since teaching in Bogotá, I have taught at language schools in the UK; universities in Devon and Japan; and an international school in Vanuatu. I met Freddie, the mastermind behind Focus on Learning, while teaching on short courses in Germany and Austria in 2017.
What qualifications do you hold?
I first studied BA English and Comparative Literature at Goldsmiths University in London. Then I saved to travel the world and took a short course in Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language (TEFL/TESOL). After discovering a love of English language teaching in South America, I returned to the UK to complete a Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA).
Last year, while working in Vanuatu, I also studied for a GradDip International Development qualification online with London School of Economics. For fun, I am currently slowly studying for a Diploma in Journalism with the National Council for the Training of Journalists in the UK.
Which subjects do you teach?
I have taught a range of different forms of English in the past – from complete beginners to academic English.
Online, I prefer to teach conversational English. I enjoy conversing with students about subjects of interest to them or an article/theme we have both read about prior to the lesson. My most successful online students learn new grammar constructs, vocabulary or tenses prior to the lesson (by using resources like those on offer in the FoL shop) and then I correct them when they use the language in conversation.
In person, I enjoy teaching Academic English, Business English, A1-C2 General English, Conversational English, and English for Specific Purposes (e.g. tourism).
What do you find most fulfilling about teaching?
My most fulfilling moments as a teacher are when shy students become brave enough to make mistakes! I have had many students arrive in class afraid to speak English. It is wonderful to see shy individuals become brave enough to speak in class, but it is even better to see the same students become empowered to interact with strangers in the real world.
I also find it fulfilling when a student is able to explain a concept which they could not at the start of the lesson. This is especially exciting when it is something about themselves which I could not possibly know!
What is your personal teaching philosophy?
I believe students learn best when they are interested in the content, thus inspired to communicate and comfortable with making mistakes. Overall, I believe these factors contribute to everyone in the lesson having fun. I believe in laughter, creativity, and friendly corrections. I try my best to learn about what students are interested in and support a friendly learning environment.
What is your top teaching tip?
Try to be creative, kind and have fun while you teach – then your students will enjoy learning too.
What's the best way to motivate learners?
I believe the best way a teacher can motivate their students is by creating a safe and inspiring learning environment. Students need content which interests them. As a teacher, I try to learn about students and create lesson content accordingly.
I also encourage students to find English language articles, music, podcasts, and programmes, which they like and thus want to understand.
In the classroom, what should learners focus on?
Learners should focus on being curious, confident and interested in the other students. Ask your teacher and fellow students lots of questions in English. Oh – and enjoy the learning experience!
What is the most common mistake learners make?
Learners are often shy about making mistakes in lessons. However, the truth is that being brave enough to speak and make mistakes in class will accelerate learning! What I mean by that is: the most common mistake is believing that mistakes are always bad!
What couldn't you live without in the classroom?
The freedom to be noisy and the freedom from outside noise pollution. I like a classroom which is quiet and free from outside noise, but where we the class can be as loud as we like.
What do you think is the best thing about Focus on learning?
The teachers! I met Freddie and James while teaching in Germany and Austria. They are both talented, motivating, and prone to cracking jokes (as you will gather from the Facebook page!)
