How many years have you been doing your job? How many years at Riffenburgh?:
I have been teaching Spanish for 21 years: First as a middle school teacher in Maryland; this is my 13th year at Riffenburgh.
What I love most about teaching is…:
so many things! But especially the moments when kids become spontaneous with using their Spanish. I love to see that recognition that the language is a part of them, a way to express their unique selves, not just words to memorize. Outside of the language aspect, I truly love getting to know so many great kids and having the chance to teach them year after year.
My favorite children's book or author is...:
I am an avid reader and loved so many books as a kid. Too hard to pick a favorite!
My hometown is...:
Monkton, Maryland - where I grew up on a farm and enjoyed singing to cows.
My Interests & Hobbies include...:
gardening, reading (in both Spanish and English) baking and cooking, biking and hiking. I love snowshoeing and am trying to get more into cross-country skiing so I can enjoy the Colorado winters as much as the summers!
About My Classroom:
Every student at Riffenburgh takes Spanish - yay! We focus on "losing the fear and developing the ear" through songs, games, dialogues, skits and cultural explorations. I am following the Comprehensible Input (CI) method of teaching language that focuses on key vocabulary heard over and over in context until students "acquire" it to their long-term memory. In practice, CI is full of stories, movie-talks, acting our skits, singing songs and sharing in the fun!