Cal poly tesol Alumni in the us
Below are excerpts from recent graduates of the Cal Poly TESOL program. Responses have been edited for clarity.
Jenna Chudzicki
I graduated in 2015 with an English degree, a TESOL Certificate, and a minor in Linguistics.
For those that have completed the TESOL program and have worked in the field, how are you currently using your TESOL certification?
I have just been admitted and will be starting a Master's in Linguistics this summer. TESOL played a large role in the ease of my admittance. I recently left a public school middle school job; even though I didn't teach English Language Learners. Students were placed in my classroom because of my TESOL background.
What are the benefits of getting certified in a university rather than online?
A university TESOL Certificate from an accredited university is accepted by more organizations.
What surprised you most about working in the TESOL field?
I am not currently working in the TESOL field directly. However, I plan to after receiving my Master's.
What are some of the challenges?
I have found that a Master's is necessary for most jobs, even with a TESOL Certificate, which is partially why I am going back to school.
What has been the best part of working in TESOL?
I cannot wait to get back into working in TESOL directly. My students (ELLs) were some of the best students and the most rewarding to work with. In the world of public schooling that pays less and less, working in TESOL is a truly enjoyable and fulfilling sector.
For those that have completed the TESOL program and have worked in the field, how are you currently using your TESOL certification?
I have just been admitted and will be starting a Master's in Linguistics this summer. TESOL played a large role in the ease of my admittance. I recently left a public school middle school job; even though I didn't teach English Language Learners. Students were placed in my classroom because of my TESOL background.
What are the benefits of getting certified in a university rather than online?
A university TESOL Certificate from an accredited university is accepted by more organizations.
What surprised you most about working in the TESOL field?
I am not currently working in the TESOL field directly. However, I plan to after receiving my Master's.
What are some of the challenges?
I have found that a Master's is necessary for most jobs, even with a TESOL Certificate, which is partially why I am going back to school.
What has been the best part of working in TESOL?
I cannot wait to get back into working in TESOL directly. My students (ELLs) were some of the best students and the most rewarding to work with. In the world of public schooling that pays less and less, working in TESOL is a truly enjoyable and fulfilling sector.
Trisha Mitra
I graduated from Poly in 2017
For those that have completed the TESOL program and have worked in the field, how are you currently using your TESOL certification?
I actually finished my TESOL certification the year before that and it helped me get a job at Cuesta college working as an embedded tutor in an ESL classroom. Since then I’ve actually gotten a masters degree in TESOL and am a full time ESL instructor. I recently presented at a conference for educators unfamiliar with TESOL helping them understand how to work with their international students who either have recently finished their ESL sequence or are advanced ESL students.
What are the benefits of getting certified in a university rather than online?
I would say that the benefit to doing TESOL at a university is as follows: the real life hands on experience you gain from the practicum that universities offer and online programs don’t and the input and collaboration you get from your peers in the classroom. I learned most of the things I did about different languages from my classmates. Having the ability to talk to them about challenges and posing questions really helps develop you as an ESL instructor in a way that just learning the material doesn’t.
What surprised you most about working in the TESOL field?
What has surprised me most about TESOL is how much I’m constantly learning. I started working with ESL students 4 years ago and since then I have felt like I’ve never stopped learning about the learning process and different languages.
What are some of the challenges?
Some of the challenges are, to be completely honest, finding a well paid job. Most institutions value a masters degree or a bachelors degree and some years experience and in many cases just the certification isn’t enough.
What has been the best part of working in TESOL?
I value the relationships I’ve made with my students as well as the knowledge I’ve gained from them about different languages and cultures. Also the satisfaction that comes from positively impacting someone’s life by helping them develop the tools to succeed in the US can’t compare to anything else.