Maria Parkin

In 2019, I found work over the summer as an au pair for two months in a small town in the outskirts of Madrid. This role involved speaking English with a nine year old girl and her family who were all Spanish. I also helped her with her homework and played games with her as well as doing daily routines all in English. I found that, since I had been learning Spanish in school, I understood how languages were learned and could understand the basis of any mistakes she made through what I had learned of Spanish.

From 2022-2023, I worked as a language assistant at a school in Valencia where I teach 24 hours a week Monday-Friday. The years I teach are spread across preschool and primary, with ages from 1-9 years old; these classes consist of an average of 20 students. I really enjoy this work and, while I love Psychology, teaching this year has motivated me to undergo further teacher training when I return to the UK. 

Most recently, I have been working as an English teacher online for a Spanish academy, teaching adults and children alike. Further teaching experience will provide me with a perfect variety of teaching experience and skills to assist me in my future teaching career. However, I do believe that my education in Psychology has served me very well as a teacher as it has given me an incredible skill set and knowledge base for teaching.
 

 I have an undergraduate degree in Psychology BSc (hons) and a master’s degree in Health Psychology MSc. I hold a high level TEFL certificate and I continue to develop my teaching method and knowledge base with each student I encounter.