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.
Anastasios Panagiotidis works as a secondary education Earth Science teacher, proudly serving the South Huntington Union Free School District. As he prepares for his fourth year in a probationary track position, he is simultaneously enrolled in courses through Touro University to acquire his Master’s degree in TESOL. As an educator, his utmost priority is ensuring he has the “tools” necessary to meet the individual needs of his diverse student population.
“The reason I feel so strongly about this statement is that I once had an 8th grade Science teacher myself, who not only met my individual needs, but made me believe that I could prevail beyond my learning disability to accomplish anything I put my heart, mind, and soul into. She is who has propelled me to the point I am at today.”
My goal in life since then, was to be that person for my students someday. This all begins by allowing equal opportunities for success regardless of the struggles our students face and using every resource we have access to to aid our student population. Touro University has paved the way for my continued growth and maturity as a young educator and has ultimately gotten me closer to achieving those goals I have set for myself way back in High school.
Anastasios Panagiotidis,
Touro University TESOL Master’s Degree Candidate
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