My Journey: A New Mom, Teacher, Wife, and Daughter
Hello, and welcome. My name is Asmae El Youssfi and today I am thrilled to share with you my humble life with it ups and downs! I am so glad you're here. My life has been one wild whirlwind of learning, growth. I'm a new mom, teacher trainee, wife, and daughter, each role bringing its own challenges and blessings. Let me share a little something about me and how I have navigated this journey so far.
The Start of My Academic Journey
I started my academic journey in 2019 with a first Bachelor's degree in English Studies from Moulay Ismail University. Not satisfied with this, I continued higher education and finished a Professional Bachelor's degree in Applied Foreign Languages. It was a period of growth, and I was excited about the possibilities ahead.
A Year of Change: Marriage and Family Focus
In the year 2020, due to family reasons-I got married-I had to take time off from studies. It was a year of adjustments, learning to balance my new role as a wife and daughter while trying to work out what the future had in store for me. I was pausing, reflecting, and enabling my family to build a life together.
The Challenge of Teaching: My First Year in the Classroom
In the year 2021, I received an offer for a middle school and primary school teaching job, for which I was both excited and overwhelmed. I did not know what exactly to expect from teaching. At first, I felt really lost: I did not know how to teach or what to teach, or how to maintain order in my classroom. The first year was indeed tough, mostly in managing a classroom, which I began to realize fairly quickly was the key to it all. Yet, I learned a few invaluable insights, mostly through trials and errors, which would really shape my future as an educator.
Building Up My Skills: The CELTA Journey
Fast-forward to 2022, and here I am reflecting on my teaching methodology. Something felt missing in the way I approach teaching.
It was then that I undertook a part-time CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) course with English for Africa, and I want to seize the opportunity to thank my trainers and special thanks to Mr .Oummih Mohammed for his support and help.
Quite frankly, this course turned out to be a godsend. The course proved to be very useful, not merely in theory, but most of all in the practical approach toward teaching. I was taught how to move away from the teacher-centered approach to the student-centered approach, which targets students to become autonomous learners. Equally important, however, was how one effectively designed a lesson plan-a skill which I know now is crucial for successful teaching. The combination of lesson planning, the art of classroom management, teaching techniques, and the use of language in the classroom are more crucial now than ever. All this has really made me much more confident and a better teacher.
A New Chapter: Working at the American Academy
In 2024, I took another step in my career and joined the American Academy in Green Town, Casablanca. This proved to be quite a milestone for me, as it was the first time I got to learn from other teachers who had experience in the field. It was an excellent environment in which I further honed insights into teaching, shared best practice, and continued improving my skills.
The TESOL Journey: Still Growing
Parallel to teaching, I was also working toward a TESOL certification, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Though still completing it, thus far, the course has aided me in perfecting my way of teaching and deepened my understanding of language acquisition. It is not an easy but quite promising journey which I look forward to continuing.
A Year of Blessings: Pregnancy and New Challenges
During the same year, I came to know that I was pregnant-- nine months state of pure ecstasy and a new beginning in life. I decided to take some time off from work and started devoting time to my family. Then, my family asked me to sit for the CRMEF exam, which allowed me to teach at middle school level in public institutions. I was very close to my due date, but I thought I should give it a try.
Frankly speaking, I wasn't so sure I could do it with the added pressure of being so close to giving birth, but I leaned on the knowledge gained from my CELTA and TESOL courses.
I passed the written test, which in itself was an achievement, and when it was time for the oral test, I was nervous but ready. Alhamdulillah, I passed the oral test. Some people said it was luck, but for me, it was a combination of luck and the preparation I had done over the years. A New Role: Teacher Trainee and Mom
Now, I find myself in a new chapter--as a teacher trainee in Casablanca. I am a new mom, a wife, and a daughter. All of these roles require balance, but I am very grateful for the support and love of my family. They have been my rock every step of the way, pushing me to continue when things were overwhelming.
A Humbled Walk: Grateful for Every Step
As I look back, I have to be thankful for the distance covered so far: from a first degree in English Studies to becoming a teacher, navigating through the challenges of marriage, motherhood, and career, each step has been an experience. I'm proud of the woman I've become, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without the unwavering support of my family.
Life is not always as initially planned, but I have learned that with hard work and resolve, through the unconditional love of family and friends, we can get through anything. To the teachers, the parents, those who do it all solo, and everyone else, your beacon shines a little brighter with every passing moment. Each of us has a road to travel, and each step we take is the making of a person yet to be.
I'm proud of what I am now and excited to see what comes next. Thank you for being part of my journey-it means the world to me.
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