Corey works with English language learners in the Quest program at Dwight School Hanoi, where most students’ home language is not English, even though English is the main language of instruction. Quest supports learners across the whole school on their journey toward becoming independent, confident users of English.
Many students arrive feeling nervous or uncomfortable speaking English. For Corey, it is incredibly rewarding to watch them grow, seeing them begin to chat casually with friends from other cultures in English, and eventually “graduate” from Quest with the skills, language tools, and strategies they need to succeed on their own.
Quest classes are intentionally small, the largest class has just four students. This allows Corey and the team to really understand each learner’s strengths and areas for growth, and to use technology to personalize learning. They can explicitly teach the skills and vocabulary that will help each student move forward in their own personal journey.
The Journey into Teaching
Corey began his career in IT, working for a global insurance company, supporting offices across several continents while living in a small town in the middle of the USA. That experience taught him how to communicate with people from different cultures and home languages, and sparked a growing curiosity about the wider world.
That curiosity eventually led him to Korea, where he began teaching English. Starting in after-school language academies in Seoul, he quickly discovered how rewarding it is to really get to know students, understand what motivates them, and help them enjoy their time in school. This passion for personalizing learning and building strong relationships with students is what excited him to come to Vietnam and work with language learners at Dwight School Hanoi.
Creating Balance
In line with the IB Learner Profile attribute of balance, Corey believes it’s important to look after both body and mind. Beyond school, he makes time for exercise; even after a long day, going to the gym helps him switch off and return to teaching with more energy. Most weekends, he also runs a fantasy roleplaying game. Stepping back from “real life” to tell a story with friends is a great creative outlet for him and a fun way to recharge.
