How Seul Lee Made Her Teaching Passion into a Profession
| by Alex Skov
Like many children, Seul Lee had a dream.
“Since I was very, very young, I’ve actually had a dream of wanting to teach something, like whatever any subject,” Lee said. “I just feel happiness, and I really enjoyed teaching my friends and younger people.”
Once she understood teaching was a viable career path, Lee began “growing [her] dream” by navigating the international education landscape to become the teacher she always wanted to be and pursuing an initial English education license in South Korea.
As she put her education license to work in the diverse environment of an international school, Lee quickly realized that to fully unlock her potential and advance her career on the global stage, she needed more than the local credential that she had.
“I wanted to be like better English teachers,” Lee remembered, “so [when] I found out I could also get the [teaching] license from the U.S., I jumped into Moreland University.”
Discovering the Moreland University Difference
Lee’s introduction to Moreland came through a trusted source: another teacher at her international school.
“One of my colleagues was doing this program and he kind of hinted to me that, ‘Oh, if you want to improve yourself a bit more, then just try this,’” Lee said. “He was actually learning a lot, so that was also motivation for me to get into this university.”
Lee’s colleague — who she remembers, in part, as “the only one who shares a lot of effective instructional strategies” — was talking about the 100% online TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program. By his recommendation and because of the results he was seeing, Lee decided to enroll, too.
While she admits that the program was initially challenging for her and she “was struggling a bit,” Lee was happy to have the opportunity to learn a different approach to education than what she had encountered in her previous program. Notably, this more Western style of teaching is common in many international schools and would make her a more versatile candidate for career opportunities around the world.
“I just wanted to be more eligible [for jobs] and qualified,” Lee said, “and the only way that I could improve myself as a teacher was getting the [U.S.] license.”
Not only did Lee complete TEACH-NOW and earn her license through Washington, D.C.’s alternative pathway to teacher certification — a popular choice for international educators seeking U.S. licensure — she also decided to focus her educational efforts on elementary teaching.
Flexible Learning for Working Professionals
One of the biggest hurdles for career changers and working educators pursuing licensure is finding the time to study and complete coursework. Lee credits the fully online format of Moreland’s U.S. teaching certification program as being a key to her success.
“Thankfully, Moreland University offers online education, and that really helps, especially in my situation working abroad,” Lee noted. “I feel like it’s flexible and comfortable, so after I worked I could manage my time to learn more.”
TEACH-NOW offers a variety of scheduling options for the once-a-week live class session that candidates attend, which allowed Lee to choose class times that fit her life. Whether it was late evenings or weekends, she could “squeeze” her learning into her busy schedule. This flexibility helps international educators who are often navigating time zone differences and demanding workdays, but it also allowed Lee to apply what she was learning in real-time without pausing her career.
Growing Through Feedback
One unique component of TEACH-NOW is the use of video feedback. During one module of the program, candidates film their classroom instruction and receive notes from both their instructors and peers within their cohort.
For Lee, this collaborative feedback loop was transformative.
Seeing her teaching through “various eyes” allowed her to identify areas for improvement she might have missed on her own, but this process was about than just critique as it intentionally mirrored the collaborative nature of top-tier international schools to prepare candidates for the reality of professional learning environments.
Bridging Theory and Reality with Clinical Practice
For Lee, the clinical learning experience built into TEACH-NOW provided a clear roadmap for her growth.
“As a teacher, you don’t really know all the information on how to grow or get support,” she noted, so it was useful that the clinical practice portion of the program provided her with concrete experience and guidelines on how to be a better educator by understanding the practical application of what she was learning.
This support extended beyond the classroom and her clinical experience, as well.
After taking a break from the program due to pregnancy, Lee was hesitant about returning after two years.
“I was a little worried…but the Moreland University [staff] was really willing to help me,” she said.
Confidence, Opportunity, and the Future
Today, Lee is a first-grade homeroom teacher at an international with 6 years of experience — but those 6 years have made a world of difference for Lee as earning her U.S. teaching license gave her mindset (and the credential) she needs to build a long, fulfilling career.
“I feel like it actually opened up a lot of opportunities for me, even right now. Since I got the license, I feel more confident in myself and I feel like I am a better teacher than I was before,” Lee reflected. “I got my growth mindset because of this. I got my confidence as a teacher.”
With a U.S. license in on her resume, Lee is no longer limited geographically. She knows that if she chooses, she can pursue opportunities at international schools globally.
Her childhood dream is now her reality.
No matter where you want to teach, Moreland is ready to support you and your career goals. Complete your free application to our 100% online 9-month TEACH-NOW Teacher Certificate Preparation Program or one of our 12-month master’s degree programs today. It takes less than 15 minutes to take this important step in your teaching journey.
