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Department ofSociology

Stories

Two people in costume smiling indoors, 'Georgie Garner' to the left.

Two people in costume smiling indoors, 'Georgie Garner' to the left.

Teaching ESL to Students from All Parts of the World

Georgie Garner graduated in the Winter of 2018 with a major in ethnic studies and double minors in sociology and urban education. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee for summer training with Teach for America. She writes:

"I am teaching 7th-grade reading and writing in a charter school in Nashville. I am the ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher for these students as well. I have students from all over the world, including Burma, Uganda, Egypt, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Southern Sudan, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and more. Most of my students are below a third-grade reading level and do not have English as their first language. It has been very tough but extremely rewarding. I am also the Head coach of a program called Girls on the Run. This program empowers young girls by teaching them life skills as well as exercise and running practices. I am also currently enrolled in a Masters of Education program at Lipscomb University and will be finished next fall. I have realized just how valuable my SCU education, including a background in sociology, has been when working with underserved populations."