Dedicated to the Dream: Middle School Spanish Teacher Earns Her Master's Degree Through Idioma Education & Consulting and Colorado State University Pueblo
By Elisa Kirschhoffer and Mellissia Walles
In the world of education, the pursuit of knowledge is a continuous journey, and for one passionate Spanish teacher, this journey led to the attainment of a master's degree through a unique collaboration between Idioma Education & Consulting and Colorado State University Pueblo.
Meet Maria Garcia Espinoza, a dedicated educator with a fervor for the Spanish language and a commitment to providing her students with the best possible learning experience. Maria's educational journey took an impactful turn when she decided to pursue a master's degree to meet the Professional Licensure requirements in Massachusetts, enhance her teaching skills, and deepen her understanding of language education. Her American journey began in 2005 when she moved to Massachusetts from Ecuador. Maria learned English after moving to the United States, and almost immediately began to, as she phrases it, “pursue her dream of becoming a teacher in this country.”
Choosing the right program was crucial for Maria, and she found the perfect fit in the collaboration between Idioma and CSU Pueblo. This partnership offered a comprehensive and specialized master's program tailored for language educators, providing a perfect balance of theoretical knowledge and practical teaching applications. The online program was flexible, affordable and applicable to her content area. “After attending several Massachusetts Foreign Language Association (MaFLA) and ACTFL conferences, I was very motivated to learn more and find resources to help me stay up to date,” Maria says. ”Then I met the creator of this program, Mellissia Walles, who with a lot of professionalism and conviction invited me to enroll in a course that would be given in the summer (2018), in person and with a topic of great interest to me. That was the beginning of what, over the next five years, has been my continuing education through Idioma Education and Consulting.”
Maria embarked on her master's journey with enthusiasm, eager to explore new teaching methodologies, gain insights from experienced educators, and contribute to the broader field of language education. The program offered her a rich curriculum covering linguistic theory, cultural studies, and pedagogical strategies, all while emphasizing real-world application in her middle school Spanish classroom. “When it was time to opt for a master’s degree, I was once again searching among several face-to-face and distance universities. Then Idioma offered me the best course plan and prices to achieve my goal with the endorsement of a great university, Colorado State University Pueblo.”
Idioma Education & Consulting, known for its innovative approach to language education, partnered with Colorado State University Pueblo to create a program that caters specifically to the needs of language teachers. The program combines the academic rigor of a traditional university setting with the practical insights and methodologies developed by Idioma.
One of the standout features of the program was its flexibility, allowing Maria to continue teaching full-time while pursuing her master's degree. This balance between academic rigor and professional commitment was a key factor in Maria's decision to choose this unique educational pathway. “As a passionate teacher, I know that I must teach and learn at the same time and throughout my life! However, deciding to complete my master's courses while continuing to teach full-time was a challenge to my passion and calling. So I advanced little by little with classes in the fall, in the winter, in the spring and even in the summer, which was when I took the most courses because I had no students. I was very clear about my goal and that gave me the strength to continue. The online courses and Zoom meetings with the professors, as well as the ease of communicating via text messages or even phone calls, allowed me to clarify doubts and resolve problems very efficiently and quickly.”
As Maria completed her master's degree, she reflected on the transformative nature of her journey. The knowledge gained, the skills honed, and the connections forged have not only elevated her own teaching abilities but have also positively influenced the learning experiences of her students. “The greatest impact that this program has had on my students is providing them with a teacher who constantly and enthusiastically renews herself! Now I propose a series of changes before, during and after classes, which are the result of a constant and more conscious reflection on my teaching work. Although I am almost at the end of my professional career, I am excited by the novelty of the large amount of audiovisual material and technological applications, as well as the combination of resources that they enjoy and those that they learn from by playing.”
Maria Garcia Espinoza's journey is a testament to the power of education, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement. As she continues to inspire her students with a newfound depth of knowledge and passion, her story stands as a beacon for educators seeking to elevate their craft and make a lasting impact in the world of language education. “The most important thing I have learned about myself through this program is that the English language is not a limitation to achieving the goals I set for myself. It has cost me a lot, I don't deny it, because I arrived in the United States with a novice-low level of English, where I only knew a very basic vocabulary by heart that did not apply at all to the real life that I began to live here. But my firm decision to improve myself and achieve my main goal of being a teacher, just as I had been in Ecuador for so many years, gave me the strength and perseverance to continue even against the omens of many people who tried to dissuade me from accepting that I was not able to achieve something that many others have not achieved.”
For more information about the Master of Education (M.Ed) with World Language Emphasis through Idioma Education & Consulting and Colorado State University Pueblo, please visit our webpage, contact graduateprograms@idiomaconsulting.com or call 978-494-6430.
