A Romanian woman who has continued her teaching career in Canada for the past decade, I am now living in Azusa California on a student visa, and I want very much to study towards the master's degree in TESOL in your distinguished program. I have over 20 years of experience as a teacher with peace studies being my area of greatest specialization. Particularly notable among my many activities devoted to helping us to develop cultures of peace was my internship with the XXXX Center for Teaching Peace, from 2010-2011, serving, among other things, as the Peace Video Production Manager.
I see peace building as important work for everyone and I think that it could prove to be a useful tool for teaching ESL as well, especially in the context of historical friendship building and the healing of divides between peoples. I also seek to honor and promote my religious faith, Christianity, and the way in which it has a great deal of power for individual transformation and regeneration, even for entire communities. This is one of my primary reasons for wanting to study at Azusa Pacific University.
I began learning English illegally as a child in Romania listening to Radio Free Europe. While still very much a child, I remember to this day the 1962 speech of President John Kennedy at the Berlin Wall. Kennedy’s message of liberation provided me with an important sense of connection to the greatness of English as a language, coupled to the beautiful and noble values of human liberation. Radio Free Europe opened my mind to huge ideas and opportunities that were otherwise unheard of in my backward, communist country. Reading books in English about great American figures uplifted my spirit and stimulated my curiosity for American culture and history.
I completed my undergraduate studies in Romania in History. To this day, I study history and my special interest has been friendship in history. As a graduate student in your TESOL program, I hope to harness the pedagogical power of friendship to the noble ideals of ESL. I deeply appreciate the way that XXU encourages spirituality in addition to service in its students. People I have met in person at XXU have also encouraged me to apply to your program. I particularly enjoyed speaking with Dr. XXXX, Chair of the Department of Global Studies, Sociology, and TESOL and I am thrilled at the idea of studying many of the unique issues that Dr. XXXX’ confronts in our field of second or foreign language acquisition. I was also inspired by my conversation on campus with Dr. XXXX in the Department of English Literature Professor. Both brilliant professors helped me to better understand the unique way in which Christian principles inform the academic standards and directions of XXXX.
Mrs. XXXX at the International Student Center has provided me with invaluable assistance. All three of these distinguished professionals have helped me to feel a connection with the university and a profound sense of intellectual solidarity with your values and mission.
MA TESOL Older Applicant Personal Statement Example
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