Anaheim University recently celebrated the graduation of 10 Doctor of Education and Master of Arts in TESOL students in Fullerton, California on August 1, 2015. The ceremony was held as part of Anaheim University's 4-day TESOL residential session. At the ceremony, two of our MA in TESOL graduates talked about their experiences at Anaheim University and their post-graduation career plans:
Ms. Fabiana Seidel As an English teacher in Brazil, Ms. Seidel has years of experience in the field. She joined the Anaheim University online MA in TESOL program to deepen her expertise while teaching English locally in Brazil. Upon completion of the MA program, she received the Ambassador Award for her outstanding academic achievements.
Q. How was your experience at AU?
It was a great experience as I said in my speech. It was one of the best experiences of my life. It really made me a better professional, and it made me a better person. I had tremendous learning opportunities. And I consider myself a much better teacher, professional and person in the world today after completing the program.
Q. Are you already teaching?
I’ve been teaching in Brazil for many years. I live in Porto Aregre, in the south of Brazil. We teach adult students and business people, mainly in companies. I started my professional career back in 1995. The successful completion of this Master’s program just added up to everything that I had been doing, and I’m sure that the results of everything that will come now will be extremely fruitful. I hope to be much happier as a teacher from now on.
Mr. Miller has been teaching English to junior and senior high school students in Japan for 13 years. He talked about his dual experience as a teacher and a student while he was with the Anaheim University online MA in TESOL program.
Q. Please tell me what you are doing now.
I’m teaching at a junior and senior high school in Japan. I’ve been teaching there for 13 years. I love it.
Q. How was your experience at Anaheim University?
It was absolutely fantastic. The time management was difficult, but the Anaheim teachers and the other students in the classes were extremely supportive, which was the only way that I could’ve made it through.
Q. Are you enjoying the residential session?
Yes, it has been so wonderful to have the opportunity to meet my classmates and professors. It has been a truly incredible experience.
Q. Do you think your experience at AU is going to be useful for your career in the future?
I think that it already has been useful. I have made some positive changes to my teaching practices and look at teaching through a new lens.
Q. What was it like being a teacher and a student at the same time?
It was very interesting because it made me look at a lot of things that I was doing in the classroom. It made me look from a different perspective because I was a student at the same time that I was teaching.
Q. Do you think the AU TESOL program would be good for Japanese English teachers who are teaching in Japan?
Absolutely. I highly recommend it. They should feel privileged to have the opportunity to do.
