Teaching Portfolio


About Me


I’m Kim Johnston, and I’m most recently from New Hampshire, USA.


I studied literature and creative writing at university and continue to read and write in my spare time. In my working life, I have edited books, managed accounts for magazine publishers, and, most recently, served as a development and marketing assistant for a crisis center.


Writing and language have clearly always been a part of my life and career, and I’m pleased that I’ve been able to incorporate these skills into the LA Program. My expectations for the program were humble: I simply wanted to try teaching again in an assistant capacity so that I could see if I enjoyed working with students on the English language.


So far I’m having a great time, and I’m learning about my own language right along with my students!


My Teaching Experience


My past teaching experience is split along two paths. First, I taught composition classes at my alma mater in Iowa, USA. Then I taught ESL at a summer camp for children in Beijing, China. Both teaching assignments lasted a few months each.

Maharishi International University

Fairfield, Iowa, USA

Camford Royal School

Beijing, China

My highest goal for my learners has always been to instill the idea that learning a language can be fun. I love to use humor with my students.
I love to talk about the things that they love and help them express themselves. To me, this little corner of any tongue gives the entire language value.

My School

My school is IES Las Canteras in Collado Villalba.


As a bilingual institute of secondary education, my school offers both French and English sections from 1st ESO through 4th ESO, as well as a Bachillerato program and vocational training classes.


I primarily assist with Language Arts classes and Ethical Values classes for 1st ESO - 4th ESO. I also assist with both 1st and 2nd Bachillerato classes.


In the vocational program, I assist with the hairdressing course and professional make-up course.

Activities and Highlights

Since I started at Las Canteras in October, I’ve mainly assisted with my school’s Global Classrooms program, as well as put together several cultural lessons (it’s the big holiday season, after all) and helped students prepare for their LanguageCert speaking tests. On a day-to-day basis, I’ve helped to facilitate debates, edit written work, prepare oral presentations, and improve pronunciation.


I’ve had several highlights thus far, most of them involving the students publicly presenting a piece of writing they’ve created themselves. Watching my students express their thoughts and opinions out loud in English feels like the culmination of all my hopes for them.