Bilingual Education Specialist

What kind of professional expertise and knowledge do you bring to the education classroom?

My entire career has involved teaching, coaching and administration around multilingual learners and equity. My specific background is in bilingual education, and I spent some years in California helping to develop some two-way immersion programs.

In your opinion, what are the greatest strengths of the Bilingual Education Specialist Certificate program at Regis?

We are able to give students a very personal experience, differentiating for each of our learners thanks to our small class sizes. Since our students are practicing teachers, our courses strive to include an application piece to almost every assignment and project. Lastly, we employ best practices for adult learners, offering choice and real-world project-based learning.

What are the key skills and/or experiences students gain in the Bilingual Education Specialist Certificate program?

There is so much that students gain! To name a few, students come out of our program confident in their knowledge about how language acquisition happens, having many strategies in their toolbelt for teaching multilingual learners at all levels of proficiency and grade levels. They understand how to plan, teach and assess for language and they deepen their understanding of what equity means for multilingual learners and their families. Lastly, students leave our program as lifelong reflective practitioners and as agents for change in their schools.

What type of student thrives in the Bilingual Education Specialist Certificate program at Regis? What sort of talents and abilities are useful in the program?

Many types of students thrive because we meet each student where they are and adhere to best practices for adult learning. Some characteristics that help students succeed in our programs are the ability to collaborate and learn from peers, a reflective nature and being open to learning and growing.

Could you tell us about the professional opportunities available to graduates of this program? What types of career paths and industries/fields do graduates gravitate toward?

Having a master’s degree or certificate from Regis definitely opens doors for teachers. Since our graduates are already practicing teachers, many remain in their current positions but use their knowledge and confidence to become teacher leaders in their schools. Others choose to seek new positions as teachers of multilingual learners in their schools or they may take positions in other schools or districts.

What advice would you give to someone who’s considering finishing their degree, continuing their education, or pursuing a degree for the first time as an adult?

As an adult learner, you are in the best possible position to be pursuing or finishing a degree. You bring life experience to any program, which is invaluable.