Given Lauren Pérez’s passions throughout life, she always knew that she had to have a career rooted in service. However, she did not know exactly what she wanted to do until one fateful day in high school.
“My interest and appreciation for language acquisition began in high school. It was during my senior year of high school that I shadowed an ENL (English) teacher for the first time, and after a conversation with her, it was clear to me that I wanted to pursue a career in education, specifically working to be an ENL teacher,” said Lauren.
With this newly found interest, the journey towards becoming an ENL teacher began. Lauren knew that whatever coursework she did in undergrad had to meet qualifications that would allow her to pursue a master’s in TESOL. Knowing this she double majored in Early Childhood/Childhood Education and French.
When selecting where to pursue her master’s degree a SUNY Brockport TESOL professor quickly impressed Lauren.
“Before I decided on attending Brockport, I quickly noted how timely and intentional Dr. Abugasea Heidt was about answering all of my questions I had about the TESOL program,” said Lauren.
In addition to this, the TESOL program is 100 percent online which allowed Lauren to learn while gaining real-world experiences.
Through these resources provided by SUNY Brockport and the TESOL program Lauren was able to land a career she truly loves.
“I thoroughly enjoy my position as an ENL teacher at the elementary level. I find joy in meeting my students where they are and providing them with the support and scaffolds that contribute to their success and growth. I intend to continue in my current role as an ENL teacher,” said Lauren.