English teacher Ekim Tektas is in her first year of teaching. As a first-generation graduate, her family celebrates all her achievements, whether it is getting a job or even getting interviewed. Her family wants to be there to support her.
Tektas taught as a long-term substitute and worked at George Mason University writing center before she started teaching at CHS. She enjoys teaching English and one of her main inspirations is her brother who struggled in this subject.
“I know a lot of students fall through the cracks, especially with my younger brother,” Tektas said. “He’s one of my main inspirations for English. He didn’t have a very good time and he ended up hating the class. What I ended up doing was going into English trying to find alternative ways to actually teach the subject.”
As an English teacher, Tektas is very passionate about helping students understand the subject. Tektas starts her teaching career this year.
“I’m really happy that I have the opportunity to be here because I love the environment and the students,” Tektas said.
Although she is an English teacher, Tektas also speaks Turkish. According to Tektas, if she had the opportunity to teach Turkish at CHS she would take it.
“Absolutely! I feel like a lot of students would be interested in Turkish culture, whether it’s the language, even just a cultural class or a history class, that would be really fun,” Tektas said. “I know a lot of the students talk about the food.”
Tektas’s father is a chef and has a restaurant in Herndon called Anatolian Bistro.
“He’s actually appeared in the Washington Post three times, where he ended up being reviewed by Tom Sietsema,” Tektas said. “He appeared in the top six restaurants that he enjoyed.”
Tektas looks up to her father and takes an example of him. Tektas says her parents are very proud of every single achievement of hers, even if it is something small. In her family, Tektas is a first generation student. She graduated, got her masters, associates, and her bachelors degree.
“Any time I do a big accomplishment like graduating school or even getting a job here, or getting an AVID tutor position, they always wanted to be a part of it.”
As a Turkish speaking English teacher, Tektas sees advantages and disadvantages in teaching when knowing two languages. If Tektas has a student who strictly speaks Turkish, she would explain it to them in Turkish but then have them respond in English that way they are still practicing.
