Why Learn Another Language?
Good, beautiful, thank you. This was the extent of my vocabulary when I arrived at Pivovar Sessler to begin my month-long internship as a brewing assistant. Before arriving, my Slovak friend assured me that everyone in his country spoke English. As I was shown around the brewery, I realized, with increasing panic, that my friend was mistaken. I spoke only those three words of Slovak and my coworkers had only slightly more English at their disposal. By the time I left the country thirty days later, I could count to 20 and had compiled a vocabulary list that included the phrase “Not cold, is warm” to talk about the weather.
Although my initial focus had been on learning the language, I soon discovered a certain joy in my wordless life. So often in language instruction we focus on grammar and vocabulary as if they are the only worthy goals. However, teaching language is so much more. It is proving to students that they are capable of communication. It is guiding them to approach the world with respectful curiosity. When language instruction is most powerful it is not about language, it is about connection.
During our first coffee break, a coworker told a joke. Everyone laughed while I sat stoically. My brewmaster smiled at me, “Is more polite, I laugh, you laugh.” I reminded him that I didn’t speak Slovak. He considered before repeating, “Is more polite, I laugh, you laugh.” The joke was repeated and laughter erupted anew. My brewmaster looked at me encouragingly. At first, the laugh that came out was forced, but soon, we were all rolling. Without understanding the words, I was still part of this moment of camaraderie. Often, we worry students will feel lost or excluded in an immersion environment. Perhaps I would have felt that way had my brewmaster not reminded me that words are not the only ties that connect us.
So little of the work we do in the language classroom will stay with our students. They will lose words and forget structures. What, then, is the value of language instruction? It is the opportunity to help learners create meaning and explore culture. It is the joy of realizing that the world is both impossibly large and incredibly small. The language classroom is a place where we are reminded of our humanity and our innate ability to connect. It is where we learn that there is more than one way to be human and that we can laugh together without understanding every word of the joke. We are bound to others by our willingness to learn from them.
By the time I left Slovakia, I had added a small, but important word to my vocabulary: rozumiem, “I understand.” Even when I didn’t know what was being said, I could create meaning in other ways. What is the value of learning another language and culture? Je dobrey. Je krázny. Ďakujem. It is good. It is beautiful. Thank you.
Teaching Philosophy Statement
I had not planned to teach high school. I submitted my resume for the Registrar position just as Stevenson School found itself in need of an emergency Spanish substitute teacher. My only teaching experience at that point was teaching adult ESL. I was called in for an interview on Thursday afternoon and told that I would begin teaching the following Monday. The first few days were terrifying, but then something unexpected happened: I fell in love. I discovered a passion for working with young people and a love for teaching the Spanish language. When Stevenson School asked me to return the following year, I jumped at the opportunity. A year later, I began working toward a Master’s Degree in Spanish from Middlebury College during the summers while continuing to teach; I completed that degree in 2017. In order to better understand the needs of my beginner students, I took French classes at my local community college. As Head of the Freshman Girls’ dorm, I was grateful for the opportunity to work with students outside the classroom while learning the skills necessary to lead a team of six faculty members. Through these experiences, I have seen that kids learn best when they feel safe making mistakes and are able to apply their knowledge. These are the principles that determine the core values of my classroom: kindness and imperfection.
On the first day of class each year, I explain to my students that my classroom is a kindness zone. When a student walks into the classroom, they enter my world, and my world is kind. This means that we are all expected to show kindness toward one another and kindness to ourselves. It is not enough to simply not be cruel. Kindness creates a space where students are able to take risks in front of one another. It also means that students are able to support and help one another instead of competing. When students are unkind, I ask them to try again. Instead of demanding a hollow apology, I ask for better effort and better behavior. In practice, this means that when two of my students walked into the classroom insulting one another, I told them that they needed to step out and try again. Once they had wiped the look of shock from their faces, they stepped out and walked back in offering one another light-hearted compliments. The new entrance changed the mood of the classroom and allowed us to start class on a positive note.
Each year, I also tell my students that perfection does not interest me. I have seen students paralyzed by a desire to be perfect, which renders them unable to take the risks that lead to deeper learning. This is why I often ask students to try it again or “Inténtalo de nuevo”. By trying again, students are able to correct their work and hone their abilities. Another way that I put this value into practice can be seen in the way that I grade my students’ essays. For longer, more difficult essays students receive two grades: one for the first draft and another for the final, corrected draft. Students are given an opportunity to work with me to improve their work and raise their original grade. This system teaches students the skills necessary to edit their work, and improve and develop their skills in a supported environment. It also allows students to experiment and take risks with their writing knowing that they will receive useful feedback.
Kindness and imperfection are not just ideals, they are skills that I strive to put into practice both in and out of the classroom. They are also values that have guided me throughout my adult life. As I continue to teach and lead in and out of the classroom, I focus on treating my students and colleagues with kindness and respect. I also work to own my mistakes and try again to do better. During my first month as a teacher, I created a lesson plan that I thought was perfect but turned out to be very confusing for the students. I remember the look of panic and confusion on their faces and the sinking feeling that I had failed. At that moment, I took a deep breath, apologized to my students and asked for a chance to try again the next day. The students looked relieved and we spent the rest of class reviewing other material. The next day, after class, a student approached me to thank me for my honesty and to let me know that my second attempt had been much more successful.