April 2015

Originally from Sweden, Texas State alumna and former English major Anna Tenghamn, who now teaches English at Morton Ranch High School in Katy, Texas, notes that she “considered moving back to Sweden for college. I would have been able to study English there, but I fell in love with the Texas State campus when I tagged along on a friend’s college tour.”
While at Texas State, Tenghamn pursued and received a BA in English with a teaching certification. Following her graduation, Tenghamn added a supplemental ESL Certification to her résumé. She is now able to serve ESL students in her classes, and has quickly progressed to teaching Pre-AP English I, which she will do for the first time during the 2015-2016 academic year. “Being a student at Texas State impacted my career greatly,” Tenghamn said. She went on to explain that her ability to inspire and engage students in critical reading and deeper thought resulted from her experience as a student at Texas State. “It’s not about the right or wrong answer; learning through literature is about the process — as well as creativity and independent thinking.”

Beyond her current career as a teacher in Katy, Tenghamn’s experience at Texas State has also inspired her to pursue teaching abroad. She said she was inspired to teach abroad after she participated in the Texas State in Ireland program coordinated by English Department Associate Chair, Steve Wilson; and the Department’s Director of Lower Division Studies, Nancy Wilson. The Wilsons “challenged me to see literature from different perspectives,” Tenghamn explained. “It was an incredible experience.”

Tenghamn notes that having two years of teaching experience in America is not an uncommon requirement when it comes to teaching abroad. Her two years of experience are currently in progress at Morton Ranch. Tenghamn hopes to eventually teach English at an American international school, preferably in Europe, so she can be closer to her family in Sweden.