Hello

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How I Got Started

I did not originally plan to work in education. My father worked as a social worker for Seattle Public Schools for more than 20 years and earned his master's degree in Social Work from the University of Washington. He encouraged me to apply for a position with the district. I applied for a Multilingual Instructional Assistant position and was hired.

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My Current Role

I currently work as a Multilingual Instructional Assistant with Seattle Public Schools, where I support students across the board with a primary focus on multilingual students from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. I support them in English, mathematics, science, history, and other subjects in classrooms, small groups, and one-on-one settings. In addition to helping students understand lessons and complete assignments, I work closely with teachers to support their academic progress and English language development.

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Why I Chose to Pursue a Master's Degree

Working with my students was one of the main reasons I chose to pursue a master's degree in the Teaching of Languages. As I spent more time working with them in different classrooms, I often found myself thinking about my journey of learning English. Like me, some of my students were learning English while adjusting to a new country and school environment. Their experiences as English learners reminded me of my own and made me realize I wanted to become the kind of teacher who could do more than provide classroom support. I wanted to teach English, help multilingual students gain confidence in using the language, and play a greater role in their education. I realized that earning a master's degree in TESOL would help me achieve that goal.

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My Teaching Philosophy

I believe every student deserves the opportunity to succeed. As a future TESOL teacher, I want to create a classroom where every student feels welcomed, supported, and encouraged to use English without being afraid to make mistakes. My goal is to help multilingual students develop the English skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. Working as an Instructional Assistant has taught me that students do not all learn in the same way. A teaching strategy that works well for one student may not work as well for another. As a teacher, I want to recognize those differences and adjust my instruction to meet the needs of my students. 

 

My own experience learning English has also influenced the way I think about teaching. When I first came to the United States, there were many times when I knew what I wanted to say but could not express it in English. I appreciated my ESL teachers who explained language concepts clearly to me, answered all my questions, and encouraged me to keep learning and practicing English. Their patience and encouragement gave me the confidence to continue learning English, and I want to be that source of encouragement for my own students too.

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