At iACT, we have great appreciation for the wonderful staff who make our service work possible! In this Staff Spotlight, TW, iACT for Refugee ESL teacher, tells us a little more about herself.
Q: Where are you from? How long have you been in Austin?
A: I was born in Austin. When I was a small girl, Austin was a small college town. Most people who lived in Austin came from other parts of Texas. I wanted to travel and see the rest of the world. So, in later years I traveled to Central America, This was part of a peace mission and where my commitment to working with refugees began. I also traveled to conflict zones in South America, Asia and Africa. For almost twenty years, I worked abroad as a college teacher in Mexico and Japan. Since the world has come to Austin, I don’t feel the need to travel so much. Austin is now a wonderfully diverse city.
How Long have you worked at iACT?
I have worked at iACT for five years. I first volunteered for one year and loved the environment so much that I applied for a teaching job.
What do you do at iACT?
I am a teacher. I have taught different classes over the years and enjoyed working with students at all levels of learning. I first volunteered in the literacy class. Then, I taught beginning students. When IACT had a GED program, I helped students prepare to take that exam. Now, I teach an advanced reading and writing skills class that is focused on job skill development as well as college preparation. Most students in this class were professionals in their home countries and wish to continue their work here.
What do you enjoy the most about the work you do at iACT?
Initially, I never planned to be a teacher. I had studied refugee policy in school and thought I would work in government. But life had different plans for me. I found that by the time I finished my university program, no longer wanted to work in policy. Instead, I enjoyed working more directly with people. Teaching students at IACT is the most unique experience I have had in twenty years of teaching. Our classroom is a place for personal development of all kinds and this is not just true for students but for volunteers and myself as well. Wellness is at the forefront of any teaching I do. My goal each day is to make students feel welcome, safe, and hopeful about the future.
What’s the most challenging thing about the work you do at iACT?
Perhaps, the most challenging aspect of working with students who are refugees is being prepared for difficult memories to surface during classroom discussions. Students in the advanced class are able to communicate their past histories and, within the intimate setting of our classroom, a feeling of trust leads to students confiding in others. Demonstrating mutual respect, honesty, and openness is a measure of what we do in class in order to let students have the confidence to build a new life. Listening carefully to things that are not easy to hear is an important part of what we do.
Why would you encourage others to support the work of iACT?
iACT provides an opportunity to support refugees and peace building in a way that is so important to each individual’s personal growth. My grandmother was a child refugee who later became a teacher in Texas. She passed what she experienced of war and its upheaval to me through bedtime stories. But, I could balance the trauma of what she related with the remainder of her successful life and career. It is important to give people who have been uprooted a belief in the future. iACT provides the most concrete skills and other less tangible abilities for moving forward and becoming an integral part of this city.
