Margaret Symon-Lungal
I am very grateful and very appreciative of the funds and the personal connection to ensure that my booklet was published and recognized as valuable and authentically representative of my research findings.
I was, and still am, very passionate about working with refugees and immigrants, and after I completed my M.Ed., I was hired immediately as an ESL/EAL English language teacher, mostly at Wildwood/Roland Michener schools, and for the next six years, felt like I had the “job of a lifetime.” I also helped out at Lakeview School in 2015/2016, as well as teaching about 60 students between Grades 1 and 8 at Wildwood School, during that final year, when I superannuated in 2016. My principal, Mrs. Trudy Capes, was extremely supportive and just a joy to work with!
That November, I was hired by Global Gathering Place, at the English Language Centre, downtown, and worked with literacy-challenged adult refugees and absolutely loved my part-time job teaching English at CLB Levels 1 and 2, weekdays for about two – three years. Then I went on the substitute teachers’ list, at GGP and am still on that list.
Working with adults was a very important part of my journey, and I was so fortunate to have Azalea Barrieses as my tutor/guide/mentor/and Language Services Manager for GGP, at the English Language Centre. She was extremely supportive, and I learned how to work with adults and young adults (Fall, 2019, for three months at Nutana Collegiate) and it was a great fit for me and for them! I have such fond memories of those years! Then COVID happened, and my teaching on a part-time basis came to a quick halt.
I have been back to the English Language Centre just a few more times since they re-opened, November, 2020. I am still on the substitute teachers’ list, and at this point in time, have had really no work, as immigration was also halted until just recently.
I gained so much experience working as a middle-years teacher, at many schools, until my 26th years of teaching. After I completed my master’s of education with a full thesis, the ESL/EAL elementary English teaching job was offered to me. That change in my job description was definitely challenging though significantly rewarding, both personally and professionally. I found “my niche” and just wanted to keep working with children and then adults. The master’s of education degree opened up so many more doors for me, and my career satisfaction continued to grow. I am thoroughly grateful for my involvement with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and the McDowell Foundation. Project # 183 is still one of my favorite books to read!