Spanish

¡Saludos! Although this is my first year at St. John Fisher, I have been a Spanish teacher for the last four years. During college I was blessed with the opportunity to practice my Spanish during a two month homestay in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Inspired by this experience, I decided to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching Spanish degree from Oregon State University. I taught for two years in southern Oregon before being offered an incredible opportunity to teach Spanish on a sailing vessel. Traveling the world with my students allowed me to explore many countries and cultures, and I was able to brush up on my Spanish in Spain, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, and the Canary Islands.

This year my goal for students in Spanish is to spark excitement for the language. In my class, students will learn what Spanish can do for them. Second language acquisition has been linked by researchers to improved grades and test scores, healthy brain development, better job prospects, and enhanced cross-cultural understanding. For more information about these connections:

My language teaching methods are strongly based in the Student-Centered model of learning. Student-centered learning is based on the belief that new information should be built around what students’ prior knowledge and experiences are and that students should have the ability to direct their learning. In my class, students will help decide what material will be covered in class based on what they already know and what their interests are. The first day of class I found out what students’ favorite activities are, what they hope to get out of the class, and what they are nervous and excited about learning in Spanish. Their most frequently cited goal was to improve their ability to speak as well and as authentically as possible. Their second biggest goal was to learn about the cultures where Spanish is spoken. What amazing kids!

I am well-versed in the best practices as reflected in state and national standards for language learning using a Communicative approach. This means that I will teach Spanish material in authentic contexts (contexts that your student is likely to encounter in the target language.) In doing this we will focus on developing their proficiency in the language by giving them skills they can use to communicate with greater ease rather than focusing solely on memorization.

I am looking forward to being part of this amazing community. I encourage questions and feedback, so please feel free to contact me. Gracias!