Not everyone wakes up with both a class to attend and a class to teach. But that’s my daily routine. I'm still a student myself, doing my best to keep up with deadlines, quizzes, and readings. But in between, I’m also an online ESL teacher—guiding students from around the world as they learn to speak English with confidence. If you happen to read my similar blog, you'll know.
It’s a life that requires balance, patience, and of course, a strong internet connection.
Balancing school life and online teaching isn’t easy. Sometimes, I go straight from a usual class to a Microsoft teams meeting . Other times, I’m reviewing for an exam right after finishing the whole online class session.
But in a way, being a student makes me a better teacher. I know how it feels to be overwhelmed, to forget something I just studied, or to feel nervous about speaking up. So, I try to be patient with my students the way I hope my own teachers are with me.
Being a student myself helps me understand how my learners feel. I know what it’s like to be nervous about getting things wrong. I know how tiring it can be to sit through lessons after a long day. That’s why I try to keep our classes light, encouraging, and fun even if I’m running on limited sleep.
In between lessons, I rush to finish schoolwork, review notes, or attend my own classes. It’s a juggle, for sure. But it’s also a reminder that growth never really stops for me or for my students. Teaching isn’t always smooth. There are times when I forget my own words or mix up my schedules (especially during exam weeks!). But every time a student says, “I understand now!”, it reminds me why I keep doing this.
And yes, it’s not just about sentence structures or vocabulary lists. It’s about helping someone develop themselves. And maybe, in the process, I find more of mine, too.
Being both a student and an online ESL teacher can be exhausting. There are days when I feel stretched thin—juggling my own lessons, my students’ lessons, and everything in between. But even with all the chaos, I’ve found something deeply meaningful in what I do.
Each student I teach becomes a reminder that I’m capable of more than I sometimes think. And as I help them grow in confidence, I also grow in ways I never expected.
So yes, it’s another day in my life. Still learning, still teaching, and still showing up, one class at a time.
