Hello!

Thanks for visiting! My name is Anthony Lavigne and I am currently teaching Methodology at Sookmyung Women's University Graduate School of TESOL. I moved to Seoul, South Korea in July of 2008.

A rich journey has led me to the teaching path that I follow today. Though I am not rigidly planted in my personal pedagogy, my foundation of experience grounds me enough to develop towards an ever-more focused practice. 

I believe that the differences among students are to be realized and celebrated.  To promote this, my responsibility in the classroom is to be more of a facilitator than an instructor.  I strive to create a space where students have the comfort to push their boundaries beyond their preconceived limits, and showcase their individual excellence.  To accomplish this, I employ classroom interactions.  This motivates students to value and rely on the input of their peers for their success.  If students  are able to gain insight and benefit from each other, they will carry that experience with them outside of the classroom as the world becomes a smaller place. 

I began to adopt this methodology in an early teacher training of mine done in Japan—the Cambridge English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) course.  In this course, I witnessed student and teacher interaction occur that encouraged equality, respect, and personal responsibility.  Upon returning to the USA, I have been working to transfer this methodology into the elementary, middle, and high school classrooms.  Students deserve guidance in aspects of socialization, motivation and direction.  At the same time, they possess abundant creativity and imagination.  A teacher’s job is to represent the balance between structured guidance and creative exemplification.

Current professional development pursuits include courses in the Reggio Emilia method, Maria Montessori method, Rudolf Steiner methodology, and the IB curriculum.  Beyond these pedagogical styles, I am also entrenched in the study of bringing environmentalism to the ESL classroom.  I believe that in order to modernize education, students must gain the skills they need to be an active participant in the modern world.  In the ESL classroom and ultimately all classrooms, the theme of environmental awareness and responsibility should be present.  This topic is what my graduate teaching portfolio was centered around.  As I accrue time and experience as an  educator, I grow curious to continue moving and exploring different cultures indefinitely, always building my knowledge of teaching and humanity. 

In teaching and learning at schools throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, I have seen that there is not one perfect way to teach. I look forward to providing value to a number of students in offering them an affirming space to grow.  I represent a person that is fortunate to be where I’m at, and plans to improve students’ lives as we march together down the path of learning.