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English as a Second Language in US Public Schools
Alumni Profile
Carmen de Tata
Teacher of English Language Learners
Basalt Elementary School
"SIT not only helps you become a better teacher - it asks you to think deeply about who you are."
I chose SIT because of its reputation - it was highly recommended by many TESOL professionals. SIT offers a personal approach, with closer faculty interaction than in my previous schools. I was asked to really think about what and how I was learning. Reflection - a new and powerful tool - not only changed how I felt, it clarified my role as a teacher.
For example, in my Intercultural Communication for Language Teachers class, I wrote an autobiography in which I shared my family background. It was a healing process that helped me recall my own vulnerability and changed the way I relate to my students. I don't just see them as students who are paying money to learn - I see them as whole persons.
SIT taught me to analyze the process, the consequences, and the impact of what I'm doing. As a result, colleagues and administrators ask me more often for my opinions and advice - I act as an internal consultant to my own school. Thanks to SIT, I'm more sensitive and passionate about my students. I've realized that what I do creates change - small victories, every day. But in the end, the impact is huge.