TESL minor Gabrielle Klinkenborg earns the skills and certification she needs in the TESL minor to teach English in Spain.

What drove you to enroll in the TESL minor program? 

Spanish major Gabrielle Klinkenborg gained valuable experience teaching abroad with the help of the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) minor and certificate.

I was originally interested in the TESL program so that I would be able to teach English abroad and/or in the states. I recently completed a semester-long internship assistant teaching English in a primary school in Spain.

How was your experience with the faculty?

The TESL minor program faculty are phenomenal! I cannot speak highly enough of the amazing professors and instructors I worked with, who have driven me to become the best teacher I can be, and the advisors who supported me in making the decision to join the TESL minor program and kept me on track to graduate a year early. 

Where do you see yourself in five years? 

In five years, my dream is to be teaching English in a primary or secondary school in Spain. I have always been interested in living and teaching abroad and the TESL minor has given me the experience and certification to be able to do this within the next few years upon graduation.

Which part of the program did you find the most valuable? 

While I originally enrolled in the program so that I could teach abroad, the part of the program I found the most valuable was the self-reflection. We learned a lot, of course, about English as a Second Language and teaching, curriculum, lesson planning, etc which was great but we also spent a lot of time reflecting on what kind of teacher we wanted to be and why we wanted to teach which I felt was really beneficial for establishing who we are as teachers.

Did you have scholarship support? If so, what did it mean to you?

This past year I did have scholarship support so that I was able to study abroad without stress and spend more time volunteering in classrooms, instead of working. This has meant the world to me to be able to gain these experiences and I am incredibly grateful to the organizations that supported me. 

Any other thoughts you want to share about your experience?

I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in living and teaching abroad! The faculty is amazing and my experience has been entirely positive. 

Learn more about undergraduate programs that can support your career choices in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.