This school year (2020-21) I am starting my 3rd year as the AP Spanish teacher at LRHS and my 17th as an educator. This SY I will teach Spanish 2, 5 Honors and APSLC. LRHS is such a special community of students and educators. It's a privilege to be your teacher!
My Education and Experience
After I got my B.A in Spanish and Economics from UMD, I taught in Maryland for 3 years. In 2006 I travelled to Spain and studied one semester at the historic University of Salamanca, where I obtained an Advanced Certificate of Study in Spanish language in literature. In 2007 I moved back to NY (my birthplace) and taught Spanish in the NYC area for 11 years. In 2011 I received my M.A in Spanish from CUNY Lehman. In 2018 I relocated to NC with my husband and three daughters. I enjoy teaching all levels of Spanish and in addition to teaching levels 1-AP, I have taught Native Language Arts and Dual Language Global Studies.
Why I Love to Teach Spanish
I consider myself to be a "heritage learner" of Spanish because English is my first/native language. As a Nuyorican (New Yorker with Puerto Rican heritage), I grew up with the sounds of Spanish and acquired an "ear" for it at a young age. Travelling to Puerto Rico many summers to visit my grandparents, really activated my desire to learn Spanish. Those childhood years, the sounds of coquies (tiny frogs) at night, and the wonderful aroma from la cocina de mamá (grandma's kitchen), ignited my interest in my Puerto Rican heritage and the song of the beautiful Spanish language. Later on I began to study other languages in addition to Spanish. In high school and college, I took classes in French, Latin, and Italian! I have retained a bit of communication skills in French and Italian but I use my experiences as a heritage learner and foreign language student to my advantage as a world language teacher. I know the exhilaration and the challenges that are part of second language study. My greatest joy is to help my students evolve in the language and use it to communicate effectively.