IEC Teacher Profile - Jeff Puccini

I have been at IEC since the fall of 2009. Prior to that, I taught in San Francisco,
South Korea, and Venezuela. I am originally from Chicago but have lived in many
places including Boston, Manhattan, Honolulu, and currently Oakland. Teaching ESL
is a second career for me; previously, I worked in the wine business.

In addition to teaching ESL, I’m also a licensed teacher-trainer. I have trained both
new and experienced teachers. In the summer of 2010, I was in Ulsan, South Korea training Korean middle and high-school teachers in communicative methodology. This was very rewarding! One highlight from doing this training was that I got to do two lessons for real middle school students. That age group can be a bit challenging but very wonderful to work with.

In the summer of 2010, I started a golf club at IEC. It has been lots of fun! Many
students who have never tried golf before have joined us and learned how to hit
a ball with great success. In addition, we have had a few accomplished golfers
participate as well.

Finally, along with teaching at IEC, I have also been involved in IEC’s accreditation
project. This has given me an opportunity to learn about the program as a whole
and what goes on behind the scenes. Although IEC is a relatively small school, it
is amazing how much work goes into its different components. I’ve really enjoyed
being a part of this school and seeing how it all works. It’s a great place with
talented and dedicated people!