Students who graduate from the MAT@USC have lots of wisdom to impart, both on students in their clasroom and on their fellow MAT@USC peers. As the kick-off to this series, we caught up with Cesar Riojas, a member of the September ’09 cohort.
Cesar shows his Trojan pride with his USC degree.
As a student on the non-credential track, what did you learn as a student in the program?
I learned so much about English Language Learners (ELL) because I wasn’t an Education major in college (I studied history). I never had that traditional education background although most people assume that if you’re working at a school, you automatically know how to work with kids, in particular ELL students. I feel like I was blind for three years and this program opened my eyes to different techniques in the classroom. I kept finding myself saying, ‘Oh, that’s really neat! I should try that in class.”
I also worked on my Capstone. For the people in the program who are already teachers, it’s a portfolio of work that demonstrates your strengths and abilities as a teacher. Working on it helped me reflect more on my techniques in the classroom. I really felt like got something new every week.
What was the best part of the program for you?
I really enjoyed class time. It was great to have discussions with other students around the country to see what situations they were experiencing in their classrooms during student teaching. While the demographics change from region to region, I think we all realized that no matter what part of the United States you’re in, kids are still kids. We encounter the same problems and challenges in the classroom and have an obligation to help our students.
The teachers are also amazing. It can be a challenge to handle work and school at the same time, but I found that all my professors were really willing to be accommodating.
Is there anything that surprised you about the program once you were in it?
I didn’t realize how much school pride I would have! I only visited LA last fall and I felt so proud to be there. I also think the curriculum is really powerful. It’s amazing just how much you can learn in a short time. I can’t even believe it’s over!
Time management and organization are keys to being successful in the program. What did you do to keep yourself on top of assignments?
I don’t consider myself to be the most organized person, but when I started the program I realized that had to change as I would need time for work and assignments. I got a calendar and looked at what I do throughout the day and took out all the unnecessary things such as watching TV and Facebook. I re-organized myself and made a daily schedule allowing around an hour or two to read articles.
What advice do you have for new students in program?
The program is not easy, but it’s well worth it. You are getting a tremendous education from USC and will learn so much about yourself and how to be a successful teacher. If you find yourself discouraged or overwhelmed, just think of the USC slogan… Fight on! Your peers will be a great resource of motivation for you. Everyone is rooting for each other.
What are you up to now as an alumnus?
As soon as I turned in my last assignment, I thought, “What do I do?!” I took some time to decompress… I finally watched all of my Harry Potter DVDs and spent time with my family. I’m teaching 9th grade World Geography at my high school alma mater. I love it!
What excites you about being a teacher?
There is something new every year, even every day. It’s fun and hard work at the same time. You can’t go into it assuming that everything’s going to be great and students will automatically love every assignment. You have to embrace the challenges that come with the job and when you do, it’s one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. Teaching is a great profession, one that I plan on sticking with for a long time.
If you’d like to know more about how MAT@USC can prepare you to earn your Texas teacher certification and make a difference in the Lone Star state, contact our Admissions office at 888.MAT.1USC or email us at matadmit@usc.edu.
