YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

To begin your journey with us, please pick a date and time to shadow a class

In order to complete this stage and enroll into the program, you have to:

Sign up on our calendar below for each class that you want to shadow
Shadow 4 times
Show up 15 minutes before class begins and stay for the entire class time, including a 15 min debrief after the class
Fill out our feedback form to record each shadowing experience
After 4 shadowing experiences, contact and meet with Ramin in-person to create a lesson plan (Technical rehearsal)
Teach your first class (Dress rehearsal)
Complete enrollment process

TORUS TRANSFORMATIVE TRAINING

This is an experiential training for interculturalists, volunteers, and teachers

This training will provide you with opportunities to become a better teacher and a better person. Most of our cultural ideas about language learning and culture learning come from an academic framework – most of us have never really seen a community-based learning environment. You are going to learn that doing it well is more important than doing it right; going with the flow is more effective than being precise; it's about the people and not the content. We are using People-Places-Things teaching model and training. Check out their website: People-Places-Things | Bringing People Together (pptpdx.com)

Instructor stage

After completing stage 0, this stage is the first big step in your teaching journey. We call it Instructor Stage or Classroom Confidence Practicum because depending on your previous experience and understanding of how community-based ESL works, you are going to be inclined to instruct, explain English grammar, and talk about how the language works.
While there is nothing wrong with that approach and it works for some, it is not the most effective approach when it comes to creating engagement and connection in a multilevel, community-based ESL group class. In this stage, you are going to see how engagement and connection is created!
In addition, this stage is really about whether you can show up, do admin tasks, and get over your nervousness. You are going to learn some techniques on how to create engaging, fun, and inclusive activities!
You have to teach (MC) 5 times and assist (DJ) 5 times in total 10 classes at one or multiple Torus group class locations in the Portland Metro Area. The topics and materials will be provided by Torus.
1) Show up 15 minutes before each class
2) Develop admin skills and learn how to use software to report about each class
3) How not to always explain things but to model, show, and practice
4) Follow instructions
5) Complete the first two coached experiences called, “Try My Recipe” and “Model Teaching”
- How long it takes to prep and to show up
- How to get over the initial adrenaline (a.k.a. “panic”) of being in front of a group
- How to gather and report data about the class
- How to use tools, techniques, and activities to effectively teach English
Free for now, any donations would be appreciated

practitioner stage

By now you've gotten over the honeymoon and you've tried some things out and now you're ready to start really honing your skills. In this stage, you will be building upon your progress and working toward specific tasks with supportive guidance from more experienced teachers and mentors.
You have to teach (MC) 10 times and assist (DJ) 5 times in total 15 classes at one or multiple Torus group class locations in the Portland Metro Area. The topics and materials will be provided by Torus.
1) Learning the value of “doing it well is more important than doing it right; going with the flow is more effective than being precise; it's about the people and not the content.”

2) Learning the value of, “Being a good cheerleader is better than being a good explainer.”

3) Learning the value of “As opposed to always being right, the effective classroom facilitator in an intercultural context will Model Graceful Error – they will make it safe for all of us to be wrong, to take risks, to make mistakes.
They'll accept influence and try things out that challenge them – and yet, still acknowledge that it's their job to keep the class moving forward.”

4) Learning how to appropriately use your body language to effectively lead a class in an intercultural context.
5) Complete 5 coaching experiences:
- Annotated Observation
- Gentle Intervention
- Teach without a lesson plan
- Silent Classes
1) How to effectively use tools, techniques, and activities to teach English
2) Our teaching model
3) Classroom culture
4) How to lift others up
5) Community engagement
Free for now, any donations would be appreciated