Delta Application Process

For me, the application process was smooth at the center I selected—no issues on the technical side. I submitted the necessary documents, completed the application form, and set up an interview with one of the course tutors. During the interview, the tutor asked the typical questions you’d expect for a course of this level. But it was one specific moment that stuck with me.

When asked, "Why do you want to take this course?" I gave an answer I had thought long and hard about. I explained that I was passionate about becoming a teacher trainer. Having faced some frustrating experiences in the early years of my teaching career—particularly with tutors whose feedback wasn’t actionable—I made a personal vow to excel and help other teachers in their journey. I wanted to be the teacher trainer I wish I’d had, and I saw the Delta as a key stepping stone to achieving that goal.

What happened next, though, took me by surprise. The tutor’s response was far from encouraging. It was as if he was having a bad day or, perhaps, he simply didn’t believe in my reasoning. There was a visible sneer—or maybe I’m being sensitive—but it was clear from that moment that we weren’t going to have good rapport. (Unfortunately, this feeling was confirmed as the course progressed.) What started as genuine excitement on my part quickly became a challenge, not because of the course material, but because of the tutor’s attitude.

To backtrack a little, my desire to take the Delta was rooted in a previous experience with another professional course, one that left me so frustrated by vague and unhelpful feedback that I swore I’d dedicate myself to becoming a better trainer. I’m someone who always puts in 100% effort—like my dad always said, “Never half-ass anything.” And when I approached the Delta, I did so with that mindset, hoping to grow and become a highly qualified teacher trainer.

However, during the interview, I was met with dismissiveness. The tutor told me that the Delta isn’t the only path to becoming a teacher trainer, which is, of course, true. But to me, that missed the point. I wasn’t just looking for any qualification—I wanted the best one. As a native English speaker teaching in Brazil, I’ve always been wary of relying solely on my mother tongue to find success in the industry. I didn’t want to be seen as just another “native” who gets a pass because of their passport. I wanted to prove that I had done the work and earned my place through knowledge, training, and effort.

That’s why I found the tutor’s response so disheartening. It felt like my goals were being dismissed, and throughout the course, it was clear that this tutor had preconceived notions about me. We never clicked, and his attitude toward me became more obvious as the course went on. He was blatantly rude to me in an input session, to the point that classmates reached out to check if I was okay. What this tutor didn’t realize, though, was that his behavior only fueled my determination to push through and succeed.

In the end, I paid close to 20k for a course where the application process may have been smooth but was followed by a deeply unwelcoming experience. And yet, despite all of this, I didn’t let it stop me. I powered through, driven by my passion for becoming a better educator and mentor, no matter the hurdles thrown my way.