A Day in the Life of an IELTS Coach

Shadi
July 3, 2025
Blog

People often ask me what it’s like to teach IELTS— is it stressful? Do I memorize all the band descriptors? Do I dream in Speaking Part 2 topics?
The short answer: yes… and no. Here’s a peek behind the curtain into a pretty typical (and imperfectly productive) day in my IELTS world.

☀️ 8:00 AM – The Slow Start

Coffee first. No big thoughts before caffeine. I start with coffee and a quick egg — nothing fancy, just something to keep me from crashing mid-day. Then it’s onto emails, Google Classroom pings, and the usual “Can you check my Task 2?” before I’ve even opened my eyes properly.

💻 10:00 AM – Mock Test Madness

Speaking mock tests begin — and honestly, I love them. Every student brings their own pace, their own personality, and their own surprises.

📝 12:30 PM – Feedback Time

I review writing tasks, scribble ideas, and sometimes just stare at the screen asking, “What do I actually write in the margin that’s helpful and not soul-crushing?” Giving feedback takes more energy than people realize. I try to balance honesty with encouragement.

☁️ 3:00 PM – The Blur Zone

This is my fuzzy brain window. If I have a class, great — I’ll bring snacks and energy. If I don’t, this is when I create stuff: blog posts, lessons, new task types, weird Speaking cue cards. Maybe laundry or go for a walk. It depends.

🌙 Evening – Admin, Dinner, and The Missing

I usually end the day with a bit of admin — marking, uploading to Google Classroom, fixing whatever I forgot earlier. I tell myself I’ll log off by 9… but it’s usually midnight.

Then it’s dinner and a show with my hubby. We’re into The Missing right now, so yeah — trust issues everywhere 😅 Charlie usually curls up next to us like he’s also solving the case.

By the time I’m brushing my teeth, I’m mentally planning tomorrow’s Speaking lesson. Sometimes I’m still thinking about it as I nod off — and Charlie’s already snoring.

💬 Final Thought

Being an IELTS coach is part performance, part counselor, and part caffeine. It’s not always neat or predictable — but when a student messages you, “I got the score I needed,” it’s all worth it.

Thanks for peeking into my day. If you’re a fellow teacher — what does your day look like? And if you’re a student, yes… we do notice when you’re reading from a script in Speaking 😏