For Refugee Week, we wanted to put the spotlight on two of our fantastic teacher/ student pairings to celebrate the work they do together!
Kerem (Student), Ciddy (Teacher)
How long have you been working together? 13 months
Why did you start learning English? Kerem - I started learning English because I wanted to have a social life in England and speak like a native person. I want my future to be based on English. I will spend the rest of my life in England and I need English to have a great life.
Why did choose RefuNet to start teaching English? Ciddy - In 2019 I went to volunteer at the refugee camp in Calais with the charity 'Care4Calais' and the experience really moved me. I was already aware of the situation refugees were in to some extent but this made it so personal for me that I wanted to find another way to continue to have a personal connection to the plight of refugees and so found out about RefuNet and am so pleased to have signed up during the lockdown.
What do you enjoy most during your lessons? Kerem - Probably the enjoyable activities that make English fun. Also, talking with a person that can understand me and knows why my English is bad and tolerates me. The lessons can easily adapt to the topics I need to learn about, so it’s really effective for me.
What's one thing your student has taught you? Ciddy - This is impossible to answer; he has taught me so many things. Some of these things are tangible, like showing me around his hometown in Turkey via Google Earth and teaching me about his favourite foods, Turkish culture and traditions. But mostly I've learned to really be reflective and think about how our lives differ and also they are similar. He's taught me to become more reflective, grateful, aware, questioning and determined (he's probably the most determined person I've ever met). I talk about him with all my friends and family; they all ask after him although we've never met, and he's helping me to teach them all these lessons at the same time. Also, he's taught me that I like teenagers more than I thought!
3 adjectives to describe your relationship Kerem - Collaborative, comforting, cheerful Ciddy - Eye-opening, fun, reflective
Zehra (Student), Lara (Teacher)
How long have you been working together? Around 2 months
Why did you start learning English? Zehra - I have been living in England since February 2020 so I would like to learn English to work in England.
Why did you choose RefuNet to start teaching English? Lara - I have been studying migration and borders as part of my degree and through my studies and research I found RefuNet. I work as a teaching assistant in a secondary school and I thought that I could use my experience to make a difference in helping someone reach their full potential. In return I get to learn about different cultures and make new friends.
What do you enjoy most during your lesson? Zehra - I enjoy that we share our experiences and thoughts with each other during my lesson.
What’s one thing your student has taught you? Lara - How to make yogurt.
3 adjectives to describe your relationship Zehra - Supportive, inspiring, friendly Lara - Enjoyable, engaging, reciprocal