This article is part of a series of posts highlighting our community of teachers around the world. We hope you find their stories interesting and inspiring!

For as long as she can remember, Sidney has always wanted to be a teacher. She’s been teaching for 18 years now. Two years ago, Sidney’s passion for teaching led her to make the switch to ESL. Currently, she teaches adults ranging from literacy to the beginner level in Virginia, United States.

Sidney teaches her adult students in the evenings. Prior to the pandemic, she taught in a classroom and created lessons that were as interactive and multisensory as possible. When COVID-19 hit, Sidney had to pivot and figure out how to teach in an online environment.

“ESL Library was a real godsend to me. Prior to discovering it, I had to scan lessons into my computer each day. This was not so bad in itself, but I could not interact or write on the scanned document during teaching. Most of my students are working mothers, so I particularly enjoyed sharing videos and more diverting types of learning that kept them engaged even though they were very tired.”

Check out Sidney’s text response below to learn more about why she loves ESL Library and how she uses it with her students.

For Sidney, the most challenging parts about being an ESL teacher are communicating concepts and serving students’ needs on different levels.

“I may have students who can hold rudimentary conversations but who are not sufficiently proficient for the intermediate class alongside students who cannot read in any language.”

Despite these challenges, she finds being a teacher rewarding.

“It’s the relationships I form with my students.”

Her advice for aspiring teachers?

“Don’t be afraid to trust your instincts or implement new vehicles to learning.”

Want to share why you love ESL Library and how you use it in your classroom? Tell us here.