Tony Carey

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"I saw an ad for the tutor orientation and I thought it would be interesting to work with adult ESL learners. I had recently retired from teaching after 12 years at the Wilbraham-Monson Academy where I was Director of the International Student program. I wasn't ready to stop teaching. I love teaching adults and I find it very rewarding working with the people who come to TFL. I get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from this experience. I also volunteer for the Valley Radio Reading Service in Springfield - I read the daily newspaper for the blind. I really appreciate the flexibility of TFL - I can design my own curriculum and there are no rigid guidelines to be followed. I began my career in ESL as a member of the Peace Corps - I lived in rural Turkey and taught English. Because of this experience of being immersed in another culture and having to learn a new language, I am sensitive to the feelings and concerns that ESL students have. The level of their language skills often means they can only express themselves at a level far lower than in their native language, which is a source of frustration and stress. I can really understand those frustrations."

Tony joined TFL in 2004, shortly after he retired. He was one of the founding teachers and designers of the Intermediate and Advanced ESL classes that we offered when we first moved into the spacious new library in 2005. He has taught the classes ever since.