Matthew Lucas

Beginning in Oklahoma, my story includes living in several states and terminates, so far, in Peru. In 1984 I was born in Southwestern Oklahoma, where I lived until I was 15. Subsequently, I attended high school in northern Florida, then joined the U.S. Air Force. I served my 6 year enlistment as a network technician, then embarked on another adventure with the goals of learning another language, discovering new cultures, and meeting interesting people. After experimenting with several places in Central and South America, I now find my self living in Lima, Peru. Life has successfully anchored me here, for now, but I intend to be as proactive as possible to develop marketable vocational skills that will be useful when I move back to the U.S.

Here in Lima I have taught English as a foreign language, and teaching has been the only skill I have honed during my 6 years in Lima. I have taught English at several institutions and have received teacher training in universities, seminars, workshops, and online courses. I currently find myself teaching as a GMAT instructor, explaining the advanced grammar on which the GMAT exam focuses on. When I return to the U.S. I intend to become a k-12 teacher and teach ESL and Spanish, at first, then explore my options. I was once told “the best way to learn something is to teach it” and I love learning new and complicated material; therefore, I look forward to mastering new concepts in the education field by studying new concepts and teaching them.

The particular catalyst for my enrolling in the M.Ed  program was my transition from working with computers, networks, and technology to learning and teaching languages.  Because I have learned a foreign language, as well as the skill of teaching my native language, English, I have acquired experience and training as a language educator.  Life apparently has made the decision for me to be an educator, so I "owned it" by completing the M.Ed program with a concentration in Learning and Instruction.