Psychology, Schoolwork, and Gisselle Caro’s Teaching Journey in Spain
| by Alex Skov
For Gisselle Caro — or “Miss Gigi,” as her students call her — the path to becoming a teacher wasn’t a straight line. Having studied clinical psychology and business management as an undergraduate, Caro initially worked as a behavioral therapist, helping children on the autism spectrum and discovering her love for working with young learners.
“I always say the best clients are children because no day is the same,” Caro explained. “Everything is exciting, everything is fun.”
While working in the psychology field was very rewarding, it was also stressful and led to Caro feeling the burnout that often accompanies intensive therapy work. Ready to explore the next stage in her professional life, she took on substitute teaching roles with grade levels ranging from pre-K to eighth grade. She didn’t have to explore new career options for long, though.
“I loved [teaching],” she said. “It was as rewarding as my previous job and I was less prone to getting burned out, which is awesome. It’s so rewarding because you get to be a part of so many lives and their development as a human being.”
Once she knew she wanted to pursue a career in education, Caro understood that she needed to earn her teaching certification. Caro researched and enrolled in Moreland University’s TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program after being encouraged by a theatre teacher she had worked with alongside.
“He told me, ‘Hey, I did this Moreland University program. You should try it out. It was great. It was a 9-month TEACH-NOW program. It worked wonders for me,’” she recalled. “I was like, ‘Sure, I’ll give it a try,’ and I tried it and it’s been one of the most amazing experiences. I definitely feel more prepared to go into the world of education [full-time].”
Teaching in Madrid: A New Adventure
Becoming a teacher isn’t the only exciting part of Caro’s journey. Originally from the Dominican Republic but also holding American citizenship, she is now employed at an American school in Madrid, Spain.
Caro’s decision to make a transatlantic move is tailor-made for the big screen.
“I fell in love in Boston,” she said with a grin, explaining that her partner is from Spain and suggested they make the move together. “I was like, ‘Sure, why not? I heard the food is great.’”
Adjusting to life as an international teacher came with unique experiences of its own, which Caro has embraced with her hallmark enthusiasm.
“For me, teaching internationally [means] you get to listen to so many different perspectives on teaching and so many different experiences,” she said. “You just get to learn so much about so many interesting people.”
When it comes to meeting and working with a diverse group of students, parents, and educators, Caro has also been able to draw inspiration from her time in TEACH-NOW’s global cohort model
“[My cohort] had people from Korea, from China, South America — everywhere,” she said, “and you get to meet these great people that are just there to help you…and are maybe 10 times more experienced than you are, and they help you out.”
Why Get Certified as an International Teacher?
While some educators choose to teach internationally without certification, Caro knew that obtaining her U.S. teaching license would be an asset.
“Most international schools require [certification], but second of all, because I did my bachelor’s in psychology and not in education, I feel like I needed a little bit more to actually prepare myself in education,” Caro reflected. “Getting to know terms such as differentiation, student-led learning — these sorts of things were super helpful for me, and getting to know amazing people like my mentor and the amazing teachers I’ve had throughout the program has been extremely helpful and has been like a guide for me.”
In particular, Caro found the practical skills that she gained from her coursework in TEACH-NOW very useful.
“Everything I learned [each] week, I directly implemented it into [a] lesson, and I just felt every week I was learning and becoming a better educator,” she said.
Work-Life Balance, Certification, and Advice for Aspiring International Teachers
Juggling work and certification coursework is no easy feat, but Caro’s approach was straightforward: “Take it one step at a time. Nobody is going as fast as you think they are.”
While she notes that handling classroom workloads and pursuing certification at the same time can be stressful and potentially exhausting, Caro encourages aspiring teachers to learn on their support system for help, as Moreland’s instructors and mentors understand the flexibility needed for adult learners to succeed and work with candidates to make plans to make their workloads more manageable.
Amid the balancing act, Caro also took comfort in an analogy that someone shared with her.
“I was told the program feels like a very scary rollercoaster, but once you’re going downhill, you’re having a blast,” she said with a smile.
For those considering a teaching career abroad, Caro suggests finding the age group you want to work with and exploring certification options that can help give you career flexibility in both the short- and long-term. Case in point: Caro focused on early childhood education and added an English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement that allows her to teach a wider range of grade levels.
Most importantly, Caro encourages educators to keep an open mind and enjoy the opportunity to meet new people and gain new perspectives.
A Future Shaped with Support from Moreland
Caro credits learning about differentiation as a foundational skill in her teaching toolkit — one that she will continue using throughout her journey in education.
” No student is the same, so you’re just kind of meeting students where they’re at, and there’s a point where now it comes naturally to me,” she said. “I feel like I have my base, and I’ll continue building on that and making that differentiation even better and adding more quality to it and hopefully it’ll be better for my future students, as well.”
With her passion for teaching young learners, Caro is set to make a lasting impact on the students she teaches, wherever in the world her career might take her next.
No matter where you want to live and work, Moreland is ready to support your journey to becoming an international teacher! Complete your free application to our 100% online 9-month TEACH-NOW Teacher Certificate Preparation Program today. It takes less than 15 minutes to jumpstart your global education journey.
