Briana Konecke '17, who majored in history with teacher licensure, is now serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Indonesia.
After 10 intense weeks of in-country training in Indonesia, Briana Konecke ’17, history with teacher licensure major, moved to her permanent site in Tulungagung, East Java where she will be teaching English for the next two years at a Muslim middle school as a Peace Corps volunteer.
The classroom culture and education philosophy in Indonesia is much different than in America, she says. “My counterparts are excited to learn about American teaching methods and how to make their classrooms more student-centered,” says Konecke. “My job allows for a lot of flexibility and creativity, which means I have been able to apply a lot of the fun and amazing techniques I learned in the School of Education at Elon.”
On a daily basis she does everything from playing ‘Simon says’ to helping her students analyze literature. “Being able to work with varying levels has really pushed me as a teacher and by ability to adapt my lessons.”
The main goals of her project are to improve the students’ English and to help the teachers improve their ability to teach English. “I am so grateful for the education I received at Elon as I feel prepared and capable to take on this project,” she says. 
“The best part of living abroad is being able to learn about a new culture and I get to do this at work everyday,” Konecke says. “I work with amazing Spanish teachers who have taught me so much about Spanish history and politics. My students are always teaching things about their culture, cuisine, and celebrations through class discussion and projects.”
Peace Corp Volunteers work at the grassroots level to create change that lasts long after their service. To learn more about this program, please visit https://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/.