Blog

Greetings and Mabuhay! My name is Roy Scruggs and I am in the September 2010 cohort of the MAT@USC program. I received a BA from Hunter College and an MBA from the Marshall School at USC. I was thrilled to return to my alma mater when I decided to pursue a secondary teaching credential and MA in teaching from the Rossier School of Education at USC. Born and raised for many years in the Philippines, my background as an international student in elementary, middle and high school provided a formative, enriching and impactful introduction to global citizenship. So I felt fortunate to return to a diverse, multicultural international school environment for the duration of the MAT@USC program. Over the years, I have had the chance to volunteer in school settings in Spanish Harlem, South Central Los Angeles, China, Burma and Portland. Through these experiences, I saw firsthand how teachers make a difference in the lives of their students. I also felt the reward of working with others. A few years ago, I reconnected with the joy of being in the classroom and began a second career teaching. After two years of teaching undergraduates research and critical thinking at Portland State University, I decided I really wanted to work with secondary students and focus on my passion for literacy and English. As a lifelong learner, I chose the Rossier School at USC because of its outstanding faculty, many of whom are leaders in their respective fields, its reputation and focus on innovative pedagogy applied to a diverse, multicultural student body, and the uniquely flexible nature of the technology-rich program. In addition, USC’s philosophical approach to urban education, including collaborative solutions to address the achievement gap, has been both empowering as a novice educator and inspiring. I believe strongly in the need for innovation and imagination in the classroom, and USC is teaching me relevant strategies to connect negotiating the meaning of language and literature to the lives of students today. I am energized by the creativity and insight of both my peers and instructors, and believe in the importance of student-centered learning. USC is helping me to develop exciting applications of sociocultural and constructivist learning theories to classroom practice. I learn every day from my peers, instructors, students from over 50 countries, and school-site mentors/master teachers who continue to provide guidance, encouragement and wisdom. I can’t wait to embrace powerful literacy for all students in my own classroom.