Interview to a teacher

Margarita Ochoa is an English and Spanish teacher in Instituto San Juan Bosco, Valencia. She has been teaching English since the late 80s.
Is your profession as English teacher vocational and did it simply happen?
Well, I think it´s pretty vocational. I mean, I always had this sort of tendency to help people, to assist them. This is not a show-off if you get what I mean. It´s just that I always liked to help people in their learning, from very little... In Primary School, if a classmate had a problem and I knew the solution to that problem I would try to teach him. I have done this in a way all my life. The biggest difference resides in whether I earn money or not (laughs). But it has always been a sense of teaching. 

In all these years  have you found a perfect way of teaching English?
Hmm, that´s a difficult question. Let´s just say I don´t believe there is a "perfect way of teaching English" in and of itself. No, I don´t think so. I believe a teacher must try to find the method that suits him best and his students.  I mean, a technique or method or whatever that makes him teach as comfortably and efficiently as possible and with which the students can learn the biggest possible amount of knowledge. And being comfortable, as well, obviously. We shouldn´t waste time in thinking about things that, in my opinion, doesn´t exist, like the perfect way to teach English.

But you must have been able to develop techniques that serve you teaching in an efficient way, as you say.
Yes, of course. After so many years you learn and develop your techniques. But you have to commit mistakes. Never think you´re going to get into a classroom for the first time with 20 or 30 students you don´t know staring at you and you´re going to make history, so to say. I mean, you could make history, but in a negative way. Maybe the worst class ever or so (laughs). You have to be humble, be conscious that you have to learn everyday. Don´t think that being called teacher puts you away from learning. You have to be opened to learn. And that affects to the techniques, to your methods. Your first years you will have to assemble information about how you work in a class. After plenty of years you will be in the position of saying you are an efficient teacher. I think I am now, sort of... But it took a lot of time. Too much, actually.

Does it work with all the students?
I wish it did. Nope. No. It doesn´t work with my entire classes. It is a pity but it´s to implement a perfect technique. That´s what perfect means to me: being able to devise a tool that teaches them all in a way that suits them all. My challenge is to approach that perfection, although I am perfectly conscious I will never achieve it. Then, my work is not efficient enough with all my pupils but I think it works with a higher proportion of them if we compare it to my first years.

What would you recommend a newly formed teacher? Just some tips for starting off teaching. 
I would advise them to be patient. Patience is very important. No matter if that patience is related to themselves or to the students. You have to patient with the process and face it calmly. Perhaps at first things are not working as you wish, but then is the perfect moment to settle down and reflect. And learn from your mistakes. And find the ways to connect and bind with your students. It´s not easy stuff, but it´s worse if you rush. Another advise would be asking advise. Don´t be embarrassed. Nobody was born with an innate capacity to perform in a profession. Everything is learnt. So, learn. Learn by seeing, by reflecting, by experiencing, but also by asking. Older teachers might have been in your position once. They could help you. Solve your problems. Tell you what you should do and what you definitely shouldn´t do.