Lecturer IV of Spanish, Coordinator for Spanish 103
About
Life brought me full circle back to Ann Arbor, my birthplace, which I left as a toddler. I was raised in Canada, where I received a B.A. in Spanish and Political Science from the University of Western Ontario. I went on to earn my M.A. in Spanish from Middlebury College, including two semesters in Madrid, Spain. I remained in Madrid for several years before coming to Ann Arbor in 1995 for a one-semester appointment. I never dreamed I’d still be teaching so many years later. What has kept me here all this time? In a word: conviction. Conviction that a learning environment that challenges students to be culturally aware translates into life skills of observation, adaptation, and negotiation. Conviction that the integration of cultural understanding in the foreign language classroom is a catalyst for social change. I constantly remind students that their ability to negotiate with “the other” is a life skill that will serve them in every aspect of their futures. Discovering a new way of thinking and being can shape who you are for the rest of your life: this is the lasting connection that students will have with Spanish. My enthusiasm for teaching extends beyond the classroom; as a course coordinator I also serve as a resource for my instructors. The very principles that guide my teaching -valuing self-reflection, respecting diverse ideas, promoting creativity, and seeking to motivate - are those that direct me as a coordinator.
