Where do you work?
I am one of three Program Managers at Greenville Literacy Association(GLA) at the Greer. After working three years as a Bilingual Parent Involvement Coordinator at East North Street Academy (ENSA), I wanted a change and it had to be in a place where I could help others… and voila! Here I am.
Why did you want a TESOL Certificate? And what did you gain from it?
I obtained the TESOL Certificate at English for Life Academy in 2010, after volunteering at the Greer center. I had never taught and was looking to reinvent myself. It did not take long to discover that I liked teaching adults, so the logical thing to do was to get trained at it.
Obtaining the TESOL Certificate gave me a new perspective on how to help the parents at (ENSA). The school offered ESOL classes aimed to help the Spanish speaking parents. I was not the teacher, but had the opportunity to assist and was available for the parents when they needed help with their English; I gave mini lessons on how to improve their comprehension and encourage them to practice their beginning English. Also, I helped them with essential cultural issues.
Have you thought about teaching and traveling?
I have not had the chance to travel to teach, because we have a child in middle school. But when I see all the opportunities out there to teach with traveling abroad, oh! Boy! or girl! The experiences available are immense; what a great concept it is to travel to a different culture, meet new people, be exposed to wonderful sights, great cuisine and, AND make a difference while at it.
I know there is a teaching/traveling adventure out there me, but in the meantime, either by teaching or assessing, I still get to make that difference in my community.
Get inspired by our other TESOL graduates and register for our upcoming TESOL class if you, too, want to make a difference in your community, or anywhere around the world.
