When you have a dream, you do everything you can to achieve it.
For Teacher Justice Marie Dasmariñas, she had always envisioned herself living in Thailand. Her journey to become a teacher, however, was a mix of serendipity, persistence and ultimately having the right tools to land a suitable and fulfilling position. While there are perhaps several avenues to boost one’s credentials, Teacher Justice found that American TESOL Institute-Philippines’ (ATI) Advanced TESOL Certificate was her gateway to lead a wonderful career abroad.
The Dream Placement
After completing her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration major in Marketing Management, Teacher Justice quickly flew over to Thailand to try and find a job placement. At just 20 years old, she was very much eager to see the world and to start building a gratifying career.
Things didn’t quite go to plan, though. Teacher Justice was fresh out of college, but most companies were looking for someone with more work experience. In the end, she could not find a suitable full-time position that matched her undergraduate background.
“While looking for a full-time job, I did some part-time work in an international school in Bangkok as a substitute teacher for three months. Since then, I found my passion in teaching,” she narrated.
“While teaching, I found myself enjoying it and not just for the sake of doing the job,” she added.
Returning to the Philippines after her short stint abroad, Teacher Justice again found herself shifting paths, working at a local government agency in Iloilo. As she became more involved with the community, she got to engage with the province’s youth. Visiting various public schools as part of the government’s projects, Teacher Justice never forgot her dream to become a teacher and to return to Thailand.
To fulfill this ambition, however, she knew that she needed to develop her teaching skills and earn the right credentials to impress potential employers. Eventually, after two years, Teacher Justice took her next big leap of faith. She enrolled in an Advanced TESOL course to nurture her professional development.
“I saw a lot of schools offering TESOL but ATI caught my attention because of its incredible offers and convenience,” she explained.
The Overseas Experience
As it turned out, the Advanced TESOL Program was Teacher Justice’s ticket to success. Guided by an experienced mentor, she honed her teaching methods and learned how to present herself in front of a class to manage her students better. The certificate, being internationally recognized, also showed employers abroad that she had what it takes to be an excellent teacher.
“[ATI’s program] nurtured my mind with great ideas about teaching,” she shared. “With my TESOL certificate, it was easy for me to find jobs here in Thailand and process my visa.”
Serving as an ESL teacher at Australian-owned Hands Across the Water (HATW) Foundation in Thailand, Teacher Justice teaches a diverse group of students, ranging from kindergarten to high school. As the sessions are held after school hours, she is keen to achieve her primary goal of enhancing the kids’ English communication skills and supplementing their formal education.
For her, she feels most fulfilled when her students are able to showcase that they are improving—reading for the first time, writing their names in English for the first time, and getting good marks in their English subjects in school. Most of all, the greatest accomplishment is when the kids embody the values that she taught them, carrying these forward as they grow up.
“I enjoy teaching here because I feel appreciated and I feel that I’m giving them an opportunity to learn more,” expressed Teacher Justice.
Having taught at HATW for two and a half years, she's proven herself to be an invaluable part of the foundation. So much so that when the COVID-19 pandemic shut the door on international travel, the organization went through leaps and bounds to help her return to Thailand.
"I went back to the Philippines last November 2020 because my visa expired," she narrated. "The process was difficult too and costly for me but my foundation was eager to bring me back to Thailand. Thankfully, despite the pandemic, I was able to return here just this March 2021."
Looking ahead, Teacher Justice has her sights set on Australia as she is currently pursuing a master's degree. Indeed, going global is easily within arm’s reach through ATI’s Advanced TESOL Certification Program.
Do you also dream of going abroad and building a successful career? Enroll in ATI’s programs to develop relevant skills, advance your credibility, and access a global stage of career opportunities.