“I like it a lot, it’s a fun job, fun to work with, different cultures and languages, and every day is an adventure”, says Austin Peters. Mr. Peters is Woodhaven’s English as a second language or ESL teacher. On a daily basis, Peters helps students who do not primarily speak English with assignments or tests.
Before working at Woodhaven, Peters said, “I’ve been working ESL since 2009. The short answer is that I started working in South Korea, and I liked it so much that I went to China, and I wound up teaching abroad for eight years, and I just really liked it. Never really got out of it, and just wanted to make it part of my professional career.” Teaching abroad is a great experience, especially for those trying to attain a job that requires being bilingual, and helping those trying to learn English.
After teaching abroad, Peters got his teaching certification. “The job opportunity for ESL came up right after I finished my teacher certification. Woodhaven was fortunate enough to hire me.” Woodhaven hired Peters in the 2021-22 school year. Since then, the ESL classroom has been a fun environment for him and his students. In the classroom, Peters says they are “usually playing games, and students are excited to eat most of the time when that happens, and seeing how happy and joyful they get when their team is winning.”
Peters has now worked for almost four years and according to him, the best thing about working at Woodhaven is “The students.” Every day the students are entertaining and funny, and there’s always something going on whether it’s a good or a bad day. I can always talk to the students and instantly feel better. Peters, along with his students, also likes the language aspect of working in ESL. With language, Peters says, “You have to communicate or find different ways to communicate. Once you realize that you can just always rely on one form of language, then you have to find another.”
In the ESL classroom, Peters maintains a fun work environment for his students. “I like to have a fun atmosphere here. Students that are willing to help other students study are always welcome here. It’s a room that we try to promote as fun, but also focused on improved academics.” This makes his classroom fun and inviting, especially for those who are willing to learn. This also makes his students happy to be in his classroom. According to a study from the University of Illinois, happiness leads to success. In terms of the classroom, this means that Peters’ students succeed because of him and his class.
Outside the classroom, Peters likes to read about history and international affairs, enjoys riding his bike, and plays the drums. He also likes Chinese food and has a funny habit of trying to find delicious and authentic Chinese restaurants.
