About me? But it's not about me, is it? It's about you.
If you want to learn more about me, Val, the person, the teacher, the coach, the EDUpreneur, check out some of my blog posts. If you're interested in my credentials, just scroll down.
But know that this is not about me.
This is about you.
I've been through so much and I've seen so many educators struggle, that I've made it my life's mission to help you avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety, confusion and lack of confidence, and help you get to the place you deserve to be so that you can finally enjoy life on your own terms.
DAGMAR DV
DAGMAR DV 2009-2018
Many people wonder where I've come from
It's like I just fell out of the blue in the UK in December 2017.
What is my background? What did I use to do?
Well, this month I'd just like to share a bit more about me and my journey to becoming an EFL teacher, teacher educator and edupreneur. It would be nice to know a bit better who you're working with, wouldn't it?
I started teaching long before opening my first language school. However, I was so focused on my studies and becoming a translator, that I almost missed the opportunity that was going to define my whole personal and professional life.
But I've officially been a teacher for as long as I have been an entrepreneur, really. I'm not going to tell you today about my struggles to learn business from scratch (
that's for another day), but I'm going to share with you an ad I used to have for my first business, my first language school back in Romania.
DAGMAR D.V. was a language and music school in Craiova, Romania. It officially opened in March 2009 and closed in May 2018 when I decided to start all over again in the UK. We specialised in teaching both children and adults. In 2014-2015, my team had 24 teachers
I got the chance to work with some of the most well prepared and passionate teachers and admin staff members, and grew so much as a teacher and business woman. We got to teach for Ford, Nitela, Pirelli, Hella, Sintec Media, Electroputere Craiova, Electroputere Mall and many more. We were chosen as partners by many schools in the country through Leonardo DaVinci projects and by the University of Craiova to train their students. We were featured on the national and local televisions, and in many newspapers.
Here is a sneak peak at what it used to be. This ad is from 2016 (7 years of DAGMAR D.V.)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2018 up to present : Manger, DOS, Language Teacher & Coach - VP Empower & VP Modern Foreign Languages
2019 up to present : OET Preparation Provider
2009 - 2018 : Manger, DOS, Language Teacher & Coach - DAGMAR D.V. & Intel Training
2007 - 2009 : JOUVE International, Romania / France
2003 - 2007 : Volunteer : Interpreter & Translator for various organisations, Romania
QUALIFICATIONS
2022 : Classroom activities, interaction and motivation (refresher course), NILE, Norwich
2022 : From Teacher to Trainer, NILE, Norwich
2019 up to present : Coaching within Education, Coaching Academy, UK
2019 : OET Preparation Provider, OET, Australia
2014 : CELTA (Pass A), Kaplan, Ireland
2011 : Management in ELT, Nile, Norwich
2007 : Translation and Interpreting - English and French, Bachelor's Degree, University of Craiova, Romania
2005-2006 : ERASMUS Scholarship, Universite Lille 3, France
2003 : Intensive Mathematics and IT&C, High-school Diploma, Mid-Level Programmer
Valentina has always been passionate about languages, starting taking regular private classes for both English and French since she was 9. However, she then went on to study IT before going back to her passion, languages.
Forward to 2009, she spent two years working for a French multinational company and the European Union, when she discovered a passion for teaching and qualified as a teacher trainer. She then owned and ran her own language school in her home country for 8 years.
In 2014, her journey as an international teacher began when she succeeded in obtaining her teaching qualification for adult students in Dublin, Ireland. That same year, she worked for Kaplan International in Kent, and the next year, returned to work for them in Brighton.
In December 2017, Valentina opened her online Modern Foreign Languages School for adults in England.
At present, Valentina runs two businesses in the United Kingdom, with headquarters in Royal Leamington Spa.
VP Empower, a coaching, mentoring and training academy, and VP Languages, an online language school for adults, collaborating with a great team of OET and IELTS expert teachers.
All rights reserved @ Valentina Popescu 2018-2022