Caringrespectconnect

Hello. My name is Xiomara Brea. I enrolled in the M.Ed. program at Post University because I am planning to obtain a Ph.D. in TESOL and since I don't have any TESOL background education or experience, I decided to complete this master hoping that it will provide me with the necessary tools to excel when I start pursuing my Ph.D. program. Especially, I would like to become very knowledgeable about all the teaching strategies, curriculum, and policy when working with ELL students.

I always wanted to become a teacher and I don't see myself doing anything else, but teaching. I am passionate about working with high school students and help them develop their full potential. It gives me a great satisfaction to receive them as freshman, all naive, and then leave high school all grown up, knowing that I was part of that growing process. I have been a Spanish teacher for the last 17 years and I have learned many useful strategies that have helped me succeed with my students. However, I have noticed that the ELL population is not well served due to the shortage of ELL teachers in CT. Hence, my aspirations are to obtain my M.Ed. and become certify as a TESOL teacher. My goal is to help ELL students become fluent in English so that they can be prepared and make the transition into regular classes. I feel the need to do this because I was an ELL student myself, and even though I went to a "bilingual program,” I never got to learn English not until I got to college. Due to that, it took me almost 6 years to complete my bachelor’s degree. I think that it is my opportunity now to help those students, who like me, are coming to the USA with the dream of learning the language, graduating from high school, going to college, and realizing the American dream.

I would like to start teaching ELL students as soon as I get my certification, but I will start my Ph. D. as soon as I get done with this M. Ed. program. Within 6 years, I would have completed my Ph.D. I will work hard to achieve my goals. Once I obtain my Ph.D., I would like to become an ELL coordinator. I would like to make sure that the ELL population is not being underserved.