Happy World Teachers’ Day! As an English teacher, it can feel like you are on “stage” every time you’re in front of your students. But it can be lonely at the top, right? If this sounds like you, you need a network.
Now that so much teaching is done online, it can seem harder than ever to find your community.
Let’s look at the benefits of networking with other professionals in your industry. We’ll go into which forums and social media platforms other teachers hang out on. And mostly importantly, we’ll explore how best to reach out to make that connection.
5 Benefits of networking
There are countless benefits to networking in any industry and education is no different. Here are 5 of the top benefits to consider when building your network.
- Sharing Resources
It can be difficult to create new teaching material all the time. The good news is teachers in your network often already have premade materials they can share with you.
English teacher networking sites and social media pages offer an almost endless supply of tried and tested materials. Take worksheets, lesson plans, Padlets and Kahoots. There’s digital material galore online!
Additionally, if you’ve created something helpful, why not share it with your network? This not only helps other teachers, but it can also give you some feedback and encouragement as well as get your name out there.
- Asking questions
Teaching can be confusing. One day, a lesson you spent hours preparing completely flops and the next day an activity you come up with five minutes before class works like a charm.
Teacher networks give us a space to reflect and ask for advice. Explain a situation on a forum or Facebook page and ask what you could do differently.
If that feels too public, try private messaging a teacher you respect. Good teachers, if they aren’t flooded with work, want to help everyone teach the best classes possible. Not to mention, helping someone out will make them feel really good!
- Providing emotional support
Ever have one of those days when you pull your hair out and cry? We don’t know a teacher who hasn’t. Teacher networking groups offer a safe space for airing challenges, frustrations and failures.
We’re not superheroes, but we can have super communities. Having someone to talk to is a good way to stay positive while teaching. Learn more about having a teaching community.
- Reflecting on professional experience
Teaching networks often act as a mirror to our own professional experiences. By reading posts and reacting to others, teachers can reflect on teaching and improve their lessons consistently.
A good place to start is by doing some personal leadership and getting to know yourself.
- Finding new opportunities
This is often the first thing on people’s minds when they think about networking. However, it’s often a nice surprise when we practise networking.
Recruiters lurk on networking sites looking for teachers and education professionals. If you’ve been sharing materials and experiences on a networking site, you’ll likely be on their radar.
The best social media platforms to find other teachers
Every education professional has their prefered social media sites and favourite teacher influencers. This is not a perfect list, but a great place to start for teacher networking sites.
English Language teachers primarily use the professional networking platform to connect with each other and post about their experiences and achievements. Teachers post, blog and connect on LinkedIn.
Here are few great places to start with networking on LinkedIn:
IATEFL is more than one of the biggest ELT conferences. It’s also an organisation which helps teachers and education professionals network.
When you follow IATEFL, take a look at who else is following. You’ll be guaranteed to expand your circle.
Another one of the biggest ELT organisations, TESOL has branches all over the world. If you’re based in China, you can be part of TESOL China. In Texas? You can join TexTesol.
TEFL.com is probably the biggest ELT job site right now. When you follow them, you’ll get updates on the industry and potential opportunities.
The best way to use Facebook for networking is through their hundreds of TEFL groups. It also has great teacher support groups.
This group was created after China’s crackdown on online tutoring companies. It provides a great space for networking as well as a teacher support group.
It probably isn’t the best place to find a job, but users often post about their experiences with various online ELT platforms such as tutor marketplaces.
Resources for ESL/EFL Teachers
Need to do some last minute planning? Having trouble creating new lessons? This group is a great network for you. Make a post asking for help, or lurk and find something good.
This group really helps when it comes to questions about different teaching companies and how to get started out in ELT.
Instagram has a wealth of great teaching accounts to follow. Often, accounts not only have good material suggestions, but also funny and engaging content.
The Cambridge Instagram account English isn’t just a giant in the industry. They also provides tips and steps for continuous professional developmentCPD. If you aren’t sure where to start networking, this is a great start.
ESL Pals is a great place to get more material and see some funny content.
TikTok
Although you might think they just do viral dances, TikTok teachers actually share lots of relatable and useful content.
@theexpatpat creates content about teaching in South Korea.
@eslteacher365 provides useful advice when starting out teaching abroad or online.
@iamthatenglishteacher makes content geared mainly towards students, but she is wildly successful and could be an interesting model for networking.
How to network with other teachers once you’ve found them
Message them and ask for advice
Good teachers love to help other teachers! Maybe some big brands won’t have time to answer, but most English language teachers on social media will.
Make a post
A less direct way to get advice is to make a post. This works especially well on LinkedIn or in Facebook groups. Just explain an issue you’ve been having in class and ask how others might handle it. Or you can post about a moment that made you proud to be a teacher.
There are a million reasons to post, and whenever you do, you strengthen your network.
Ask to meet (Zoom or in person)
If you’ve connected with a teacher or professional you really get on with, try meeting with them on Zoom or even face-to-face. It might be hard to schedule, but it means a lot more than an email.
Join a webinar
Free and paid webinars are happening all the time for ELT. Webinars get you direct access to experts in ELT and often real time feedback. Experts often share their contact details afterwards so it’s an easy way to expand your network.
Share resources with your network
Yes! You don’t have to be an ELT influencer to participate in your network! Upload that favourite activity you have in your back pocket. Share that one YouTube video that always gets your class talking. Your network will greatly appreciate it!
How do you keep up with the ELT industry and your colleagues? Leave some of your ideas in the comments below.
Gerald Smith works as an English teacher and journalist writing mainly about the ELT industry. Originally from Texas, he lives on a narrowboat in Glasgow with his partner and two cats.