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NEW TEACHER: Laura Bryan is a full-time instructor with the University Bridge Program at Soka University. SUBMITTED Laura BryanAge: 27 Hometown: Taft Degrees: B.A. in humanities/music from Brigham Young University; M.A. TESOL from Alliant International University Motto: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
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PROFILE: Teacher guides international students at Soka
Laura Bryan is a new full-time instructor with the University Bridge Program.
Laura Bryan guides more than 20 Japanese students enrolled in the University Bridge Program at Soka University.
Bryan, who lives in Laguna Niguel, recently started teaching full time at the Aliso Viejo campus and is responsible for helping her classes make a smooth transition into American culture and the university using philosophy, literature and reading.
Q. What sparked your interest in the University Bridge Program?
A.I read an advertisement that sparked my interest and decided to apply. Before I actually applied, I got an e-mail from the program director inviting me to apply for a summer position. He had seen my résumé on the TESOL (Association for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) job board. That made me feel like it was a perfect fit. I taught part time for a semester and I am very excited to join the program full time.
Q. How did you get involved with teaching?
A.After I graduated from Brigham Young University, I spent a year and a half as a religious missionary in Venezuela. It was my first international experience and an opportunity to learn to speak Spanish (I had been studying it since my freshman year of high school), I loved teaching and serving and I enjoyed getting to know the culture and people.
When I got back, I started working as a bilingual teacher's aide for Spanish-speaking kids in the Taft elementary schools. I also did some subbing with English as Second Language students. A friend of mine told me about a program teaching English in Mexico and I knew right away I wanted to do it. It was about that same time that I looked into the TESOL Master of Arts programs as well.
Q. How have you integrated music into your classes?
A.I was asked to teach a music elective course and the students loved it. I started thinking about the added benefits of using music to teach language. I decided to do my final master's practicum project on using music in the classroom. It's a fun way for students to practice listening and pronunciation. It can be adapted to teach almost any skill students need.
Q. What inspired you to be a teacher?
A.I have always wanted to be a teacher. I'm not sure exactly why, but ever since I can remember that's what I wanted to do. I always enjoyed school when I was young, and I had a lot of teachers who influenced me. I'm sure that's a part of it.
Q. What were you doing before you took the job at Soka?
A.I've been working at a private language school at Irvine Valley College for the past two years called Kaplan Aspect. I worked as a teacher for the first year and an academic coordinator for the second year.
Q. Is working at Soka your ultimate goal in teaching or is there a dream job still out there?
A.I loved my previous job and it was hard to leave. But everyone who knows me knows how excited I am to work at Soka. I think in a lot of ways it's a perfect fit for me and I'm looking forward to being challenged intellectually and creatively.
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