Jude can’t imagine a different career pathway from being a teacher, specifically an English language teacher. Coming to Canada from Cameroon, he thought that for the first time, he might have to find a different profession, but when a friend told him about her work as a teacher at CCI-LEX, Jude didn’t hesitate to apply as a volunteer teacher.
Barely two months after he arrived in Edmonton, Jude started to observe classes as a volunteer, and in January 2025, he began volunteering with a special project teaching English at O-day’min Village – an affordable housing complex with many residents who faced different barriers that made it difficult to join English classes outside of their homes. Here, Jude taught classes for students with different levels in a welcoming environment for ten weeks, building their language and confidence, which enabled them to join regular classes at CCI-LEX.
After this special project, Jude started teaching Reading and Writing, a class for High Beginner students who want to improve their literacy skills. Having students with different educational backgrounds meant that they needed different levels of support during the class, which posed a challenge. “One of the biggest challenges was balancing time—ensuring slower learners were not left behind while still keeping more advanced learners engaged.”
But a seasoned teacher makes a big difference in the classroom! So, Jude prepared activities that could be modelled step-by-step and incorporated relatable topics from their daily lives, amongst other activities. In this way, he knew it could help the students improve their skills and reach their goals. “Watching the learners slowly gain confidence, participate more actively, and produce clearer written sentences has been gratifying. The class has reinforced my belief in patient, adaptive teaching, and reminded me how meaningful language learning is for newcomers building new lives in Canada.”
He eventually began teaching in the CCI program as well, first as a substitute and now teaching his own evening class. So, in a span of a few months, Jude had adapted his experience as an English teacher in Cameroon to the classrooms of CCI-LEX, full of newcomers just like himself!
At CCI-LEX, evening classes are a great way to learn the language for people who work during the day, and that brings different challenges to the classroom, from attendance to long days that start with work and end up in a learning position. “As an immigrant myself, I can easily relate to the problems [that my students] are facing, and I can see that they are very eager to learn, so they will not willingly stay away from class […] so I’m always understanding if they cannot show up to class, for one reason or another.”
Whether he is teaching Reading and Writing classes, Intermediate B (CCI class), or volunteering for the LEX program, if you are studying English at CCI-LEX and have a class with Jude, here’s what to expect: A teacher who is passionate about his work, full of understanding, has 12 years of experience, and someone who is ready to help his students overcome different challenges to help them continue their learning path. We can definitely tell you that Jude is a perfect fit for our school!