We are all very excited to share our graduate experience with you. This website will be your guide to the SFSU M.A. TESOL’s Fall 2012 Conference. Above, you will find a set of links to help direct you to the information you need. If you should find yourself still confused, please ask your questions here. We hope …
Biography: Growing up in the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Bay Area and coming from a household of educators, Heather has cultivated a passion for language learning and an appreciation for learners’ needs. This deep interest inspired her to pursue a degree in TESOL in order to become an excellent language educator. Heather plans to …
Biography: Jarrod became a TESOL professional in 2008 after having worked in the San Francisco non-profit scene since graduating from UC Santa Cruz in 2003. Built on a love of languages and an internationalist perspective, Jarrod’s teaching has taken him around the world already—from Paul Revere Elementary in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights, all the way …
Biography: Reema was raised in a multilingual household by a Russian mother and Saudi father, which instilled in her a lifelong interest in understanding the language acquisition process. After receiving her bachelor’s in English language and literature in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, she decided to further her knowledge in applied linguistics and enrolled in SFSU’s MA …
Biography: After 4.5 years of experience in teaching English in a Korean high school, Eun realized how rewarding it is to help students find pleasure in learning a new language. She decided to enroll in MA TESOL at SFSU to equip herself with the latest knowledge in the field. After graduation, she plans to continue …
Biography: Jason fell in love with language and culture during a year-long study abroad program in Florence, Italy. After graduating with a B.A. in Modern Languages & Literatures from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo he spent a year teaching English in Copiapó, Chile. Upon returning to his native California, Jason entered the M.A. …
Biography: Linda entered M.A. TESOL after completing her B.A. in Spanish. Her turning point occurred when visiting a young immigrant mother who did not understand English, and was not literate in any language. Linda plans to stay in her native California and teach English skills and literacy to adult immigrants, although she loves practicing her …
Biography: Brian Allen’s interest in TESOL began when he was an undergraduate at Mississippi State University, volunteering his time to be a conversation partner for ESL students. While deployed to Iraq, Brian decided to apply to the MATESOL program on recommendation from a friend, coming straight to California after finishing his deployment. After his contract …
Biography: Bob Fagan began his career in education as a guitar teacher. He see some parallels with teaching ESL: “The students’ technical abilities and vocabulary are always growing, they learn best by practicing in real-life situations (that is, with other language speakers) and their learning continues throughout their lives. As a teacher, my job is …
Biography: Amanda realized her passion for teaching English to non-native speakers while teaching EFL in Brazil, with very little training. Upon her return, she was inspired to join SFSU’s MA TESOL program after gaining an ESL teaching certificate. She currently teaches in SFSU’s CMS program, where she is also the program assistant. A native Chicagoan, …
Biography: After getting his M.A. in Social sciences, Daniel worked for diverse non-profits and NGO’s in Germany, Switzerland and in San Francisco. While working with diverse populations within a multilingual context, he realized his passion for teaching English and enrolled in the MA TESOL program at SFSU. After graduation, he plans to start teaching in …
Biography: Chris Frosini went to teach English in Japan for a year and ended up staying in Asia for four. He discovered that not only did he love living abroad, he also loved his job. Wanting to take his career to the next level, Chris enrolled in SFSU’s MA TESOL program. After he graduates, he …
Biography: Monique’s love of travel and teaching English combined well and allowed her to live and teach in many interesting cities around the world. When she decided to settle down in San Francisco, she began the M.A. TESOL program to update and broaden her knowledge of pedagogical theory and research. She looks forward to establishing …
Biography: Ben applied to the MA TESOL program after realizing that his love of foreign languages and English writing could translate into a career teaching ESL. After graduation, he intends to immerse himself in the joys of working with English language learners at a local community college. When not lesson planning, Ben enjoys pedaling chromoly …
Biography: Daphne earned her BA in dance at Barnard College, and after some turns and changes in direction spent many years as a successful editor and writer. She discovered TESOL through volunteering with adult learners in San Francisco, and entered the MA TESOL program in fall 2009. She has taught ESL to elementary school parents …
Biography: Madoka Kanai gained an early appreciation for languages during her nomadic childhood in NY, Chicago and Tokyo. After getting her B.A. in journalism, she has worked in various industries ranging from broadcasting, language teaching and publishing. Her last project on English textbook series led her to join the M.A. TESOL program. Madoka currently teaches …
Biography: Naotoshi Furuta was fascinated with the glamour of English grammar as an undergraduate student and thus found himself more and more absorbed in understanding English language learning/teaching. So after teaching English for 7 years in Japan, he enrolled in the MA TESOL program at SFSU. After graduation, he plans to resume teaching English in …
Biography: Lydia Kelley’s passion for TESOL began with a two year adventure teaching adult professionals and high school students in China. This led to her pursuit of a greater understanding of language acquisition in SFSU’s M.A. TESOL program. Her current position teaching academic English at the American Language Institute provides her with the opportunity to …
Biography: Jackie received her BA in French and Sociology at the University of San Francisco. She draws on her long career in office management and human resources to shape her teaching philosophy, which is built on the premise that ESL educators are uniquely positioned to foster transformations and empowerment in their learners. Jackie proudly served …
Biography: Ju came to the U.S. with the goal of reading her favorite book, The Catcher in the Rye, in English. After meeting inspiring English teachers, she decided to become like them to help students learn English which led her to SFSU’s MATESOL program. She is eager to apply her knowledge and open her own …
Biography: Chelsea has always been interested in the intersection of language, culture and identity. Upon earning her B.S. in Business Administration from USC, she began studying Mandarin as a way of exploring her roots. She traveled to Shanghai, where she tutored students in English and became inspired to pursue teaching as a profession. As a …
Biography: Eric remembers attempting to explain to his Taiwanese parents during elementary school the difference between using the words “bandit” and “thief”. Little did he know that less than twenty years later, he will have discovered a passion for teaching and be completing graduate studies in TESOL. Eric is currently an instructor at the SFSU’s American Language …
The Fall 2012 M.A. TESOL Conference is quickly approaching so please mark your calendars! Continue reading »
