The Totally Teach blog

Your guide to teaching abroad, career growth, and everything in between

Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

The effects of social media on children

Spending time on social media has become a way of life for most adults, but is it healthy for children to have the same habits? We all know that social media has its adverse effects, and for young minds, it can lead to even worse problems since you, as an adult, can't always ensure children's safety on these platforms.

We have listed a few effects that social media can have on children. It might make you think twice before handing them the device of endless scrolls.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Importance of play for a child's development.

As the famous Italian physician Maria Montessori once said, “Play is the work of the child.” Play is beneficial to healthy brain development as it allows children to build self-worth by giving them a sense of their abilities while increasing their creativity, imagination, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strengths.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

The Interview Process

Now is the time that many teachers are interviewing for new positions. Career hunting and working through an interview process can be a job in itself! If you haven’t job searched or interviewed in a while, it can be a little bit of a shock.

We have broken down some of the things you can expect during the interview process.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Cool ways to reward students

Ah yes! The classic case of positive reinforcement.

As we all know, rewards celebrate success. They communicate a job well done and motivate students to keep moving forward. When rewarding students, their prizes wouldn't necessarily have to be tangible objects. They can be words of affirmation, extra time to partake in a favourite activity, or sitting with a friend during lunch.

If you want to implement that perfect reward but don’t know what it is yet, no need to fear. We’ve got you covered.

Take a look at a few cool and unique ways you can use to reward your students!

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

10 Life skills we could be teaching in schools.

School teaches you many of the fundamentals to succeed in certain areas of your life, but not all of it can be chalked up on the blackboard. At least not yet.

We have listed 10 essential life skills that determine your success, yet they aren’t part of a typical school curriculum, although they really should be.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Unusual school subjects

We all know the world is a diverse place. There is no cookie-cutter one size fits all for every country and culture. So why should education be the same? In every country it is necessary to have different priorities in how you can prepare your students for the real world. Take a look at these unique and amazing subjects from around the globe – are there any that you think would be a success in your home country?

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Work mindfulness tips:

Our jobs pay the bills, occupy many of our waking hours and can even sometimes give our lives meaning. They can also be a source of significant stress caused by tight deadlines, long days, and difficult conversations. No matter what your job, work can provoke anxiety - and mindfulness can help with that.

We’ve gathered 5 mindfulness tips that you can use at work if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Weirdest schools that actually exist.

When you say “school” to someone they usually think of the typical norm like backpacks, classrooms filled with florescent lighting, desks or lecture halls. But there are hundreds of different ways to get an education and a million things worth studying that you aren’t going to find in your typical standardised testing curriculum.

To open your eyes and your mind a little bit we have listed some of the top unique schools in the world, from unusual and innovative environments to surprising curriculum content.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

“Green” kindergarten activities

Talking about sustainability with kids is incredibly important to do. However, it can be tricky to know where to start! First, we need to help kids to understand what sustainability is. While a broad concept, sustainability boils down to the understanding of the impact that we have on the earth, and what we leave behind for future generations.

We can teach children through hands-on activities and by involving them in acting sustainably as well

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Coolest school uniforms around the world

A shirt, tie and blazer may not be the ingredients for someone’s favourite outfit, but if we were given the choice, we wouldn’t throw away the idea of school uniform. Wearing a uniform is a badge of pride that creates an identity for a school - plus some schools make it worth the while with their snazzy outfits!

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Fun ESL speaking activities for teens and adults.

Speaking is one of the most important (and difficult) skills to master when learning a new language. Many students, no matter their age, have a fear of speaking the language in front of other people. Speaking activities encourage students to speak openly and with confidence. These activities can be used to help student practice speaking English.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

How to get better sleep

Many factors can interfere with a good night’s rest, from work-related stress to family responsibilities. It’s no wonder that quality sleep is sometimes elusive. You might not be able to control the factors that interfere with your sleep, but you can adopt habits that encourage a more restful night. To start small, you can try these simple tips:

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Unique ways to introduce yourself to students.

The beginning of a new school year or semester usually means a new class full of unfamiliar faces, so introductions will most likely be needed.

Make an amazing first impression on students by using new and creative ways to introduce yourself to them. We have gathered a bunch of engaging ideas that can be used for introductions.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Top Asian Desserts

Although Asia is known typically for its large rice and noodle culture, there is so much more that can be experienced. Some of the most delicious desserts can be found throughout Asia. So, get your sweet tooth on for these tasty delights!

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Top 5 of the most haunted campuses around the world.

College/University life can be tough. Between classes, extracurriculars, internships and the pressure of not knowing what to do in your young adult life can be stressful. But as they say, if one door closes, another opens. Well in this case if that happens, your campus is probably haunted!

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Grammar tips for your classroom

At Totally Teach, we are so fortunate to be able to help so many people. Sometimes, we are lucky enough to get to know some of our teachers really well and continue to help them year on year. We love seeing our teachers grow and achieve their goals!

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Teacher’s Journeys with Totally Teach

At Totally Teach, we are so fortunate to be able to help so many people. Sometimes, we are lucky enough to get to know some of our teachers really well and continue to help them year on year. We love seeing our teachers grow and achieve their goals!

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

The year of the Rabbit

According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, this year is the year of the water rabbit!

Check out some fascinating facts about the Chinese Zodiac.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Leaving China? Collect this paperwork!

Are you planning to leave, or starting to think about leaving China and moving back home or to another country?

It is definitely worth collecting the following paperwork to save you some hassle in the long run. Here is what we believe you should collect to prepare for anything the future throws at you.

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Georgina Livermore Georgina Livermore

Fun Christmas writing ESL Activities

Christmas is almost here!We have compiled some great Christmas-themed writing activities to keep the festivities alive in your classroom.

Students don’t always love a writing lesson, but maybe these subjects will keep them entertained and engaged.

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