Carol and Connie: GTI’s Secret to English Learning

Global Talent Idaho wants to send a special thank you to our great volunteer English class facilitators, Carol Doyle and Connie Buckley. They have put in tireless hours of work to create, prepare and implement unique English curriculum that teaches our Job Seekers the skills necessary to integrate into the American workplace and broader culture.

Connie grew up during the “Hippie Movement,” a “groovy” and “far-out” time in America’s history. She acquired her GED, cleared her brain, became a parent and thought life was good, but recognized she was missing out on some of life’s best opportunities by not pursuing higher education…or as her created motto states, “I found motivation and dedication for education on the road of life’s destinations.”

When she was a child, she shared with her parents that she wanted twenty-three children. Their parental advice to her was she should pursue a career in education and that would help to fulfill the desire of being a parent to twenty-three children. Once Connie was in her twenties, she realized the wisdom of that advice from her parents. Connie also realized and recognized her passion to assist others in academic, behavioral, emotional and life skills growth and success. Five years after the birth of her adorable daughter, Connie enrolled in a university, and looked forward to life’s new opportunities (with support from family and friends.). She obtained:

• B.A., General Education – Endorsement of Special Education – “Go Broncos!”
• M.A., Special Education – “Go Broncos!”
• M.Ed, School Counseling and School Psychology – “Go Vandals!”

….and then it was “Go Connie!” with a long and loyal 21 year career in the Boise School District.
…and now it is “Go COCo” with her role of grandparent to four amazing grandchildren.

Since March of 2016, Connie has put her passion, education and work experiences to good use volunteering with GTI. She is in charge of our Friday morning Group Discussion Class that focuses on general ESL skills, using in-class readings and discussions as tools for strengthening vocabulary and communication, as well as bridging cultural gaps to foster integration.

“Volunteering with GTI has allowed me to broaden my understanding of different cultures and backgrounds within this world. Being a volunteer with GTI also provides and allows me to continue the desire and passion to demonstrate empathy, compassion, support, understanding, guidance and direction to positive and productive outcomes….and definitely, the awesome participants I have the privilege to associate with every week at GTI also provide positive and productive outcomes in my life,” she states.

Carol, a longtime resident of Hailey, Idaho, moved to Boise in 2012 where she built a custom Spanish-style home, and started enjoying pottery and art classes, as well as reading and cultivating her vegetable and flower garden. In addition to GTI, she also volunteers for the Boise Contemporary Theater. Carol has 3 children and 4 grandchildren, all living in the Seattle area.

Carol has a long history of teaching language arts, social studies, U.S. history and drama at the middle school level. In 1983 she moved from the classroom to the library, serving for 18 years as the media specialist at her school and media supervisor for Blaine County School District. In 1987, she received a national award from the American Library Association for Micro-computer use in school libraries, certainly in the early days of school information technology. During this time, she served for several years on a committee within the Idaho Commission of Libraries to develop a state library network called Libraries Linking Idaho, or LiLI. She even designed the original logo!

More recently, Carol obtained her M.S. in Instructional Technology from Utah State University. She became an adjunct instructor for the College of Southern Idaho and offered classes for teachers in computer competency and how to use computers creatively in the classroom. In 2001, she took an early retirement from public education and accepted a position as a consultant, trainer, and seminar presenter for Renaissance Learning, an educational software company. In her 13 years with the company, she traveled to and worked in 29 different states. She even flew in bush planes on two occasions to remote communities in Alaska.

Carol has put her considerable talents and experience to work for GTI since March, 2016 when she began facilitating our Tuesday evening Professional Conversation Class, which focuses on professional cross-cultural skills and how they pertain to the workplace environment. These classes offer workshops in writing professional emails, workplace idioms and vocabulary, improving presentation skills, forming marketing pitches, general conversation skills and interviewing techniques. She also brings in guest speakers from the community to discuss topics relating to homeownership, building credit, employment law, and other topics.

GTI is so thankful and grateful for the hard work and dedication of these two amazing women. In addition to improving their English, our professional jobseekers are learning invaluable workplace skills and customs that will help them reclaim their careers and succeed in the U.S. workforce.