Touro University TESOL Master’s candidate Emily Georgoulakos’Instructional Material Critique & Redesign
As an Associate Professor for the Touro University TESOL/BLE Department, I am immensely proud to feature outstanding student work from our MS in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Program. New York’s linguistic diversity demands teachers who can find common ground and effectively communicate with students from different language backgrounds. Academically rigorous and practice-intensive, the 33-credit program leads candidates who complete all coursework, and fieldwork to recommendation for ESL certification.
BIO: Emily Georgoulakos is enrolled in the TESOL master’s program at Touro University. She is certified in General and Special Education from Birth to 6th grade. Emily teaches in a 1st-grade self-contained (15:1) classroom in a district with a diverse and inclusive population.
My journey at Touro University in the TESOL program has been a valuable and positive experience as I have been able to develop professionally and personally. I have been able to grow as an educator to support students of all cultural backgrounds and individual needs. I have significantly developed an understanding of the importance of culturally relevant education and environmental inclusivity. I can implement this into my future practices by creating a positive and welcoming environment and integrating students’ culture.
Dr. Jasmin (Bey) Cowin, Associate Professor at Touro University, Fulbright Scholar, SIT Graduate, past Education Policy Fellow (EPFP™) at Columbia University, Teachers College. At the heart of my professional journey is a commitment to transformative education, grounded in integrating concepts like Lynda Miller's philosophy of abundance, which counters Ruby Payne’s notion of a Culture of Poverty (2005). This philosophy emphasizes viewing experiences as assets filled with positivity and optimism, particularly valuable in an often dystopian-seeming world. My endeavors align closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, a goal deeply intertwined with both my personal and organizational objectives. This is evident in my work with initiatives such as Computers for Schools Burundi (CfSB), TESOL “Train the Trainer” programs in Yemen and Morocco, and my scholarly contributions including an article in the Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice (JHETP) and various workshops focused on supporting displaced learners.
As an educator in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, I recognize our crucial role in preparing the future workforce. To equip students with necessary digital literacy and technological skills, we educators must first master these areas. The technologies defining the 21st-century workforce could lead to new forms of exploitation if access is not globally democratized. By incorporating 4IR innovations in education, we shape students’ worldviews from an early age, preparing them for VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) environments and ensuring they become a skilled, adaptable workforce. In conclusion, my commitment extends beyond transactional interactions, focusing instead on utilizing my skills and privileges to make a positive, enduring impact on the world.
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