After visiting over twelve different countries over a period of years, I was able to examine why language is so important first-hand. Language is what allows our world to operate so smoothly, it allows for communication and understanding, whether it is oral, written, or simply composed of gestures. It is what makes our world so different yet so similar. Without language, we would not have things such as math, science, history or English classes. More importantly, without language, we would not have the cultures that make up the diverse country that we live in today. Language influences culture and culture influences language. Without it, what do we have? My purpose as a world language teacher is not to simply teach the Spanish language, but to help students understand why our world is the way it is—the good, the bad, and specifically, how the Spanish language and culture have influenced this.

 

            Teaching Spanish is more than my students learning a language, it’s about learning a culture, a way of life. Neither of which is an easy task; however, my goal is to present the Spanish language and culture in a way that each and every student is able to appreciate in the same way that we appreciate our own language and culture. I strive to engage students in multicultural diversity, and hopefully allow each student to appreciate our own language and culture even more so.

            It is my belief that every student is able to learn this language as long as one is willing to involve oneself in it and is open to the endless possibilities that are a part of Spanish. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to guide each and every student to not just simply memorize the language and perform well on exams; but rather, my hope is to impact each student in a way that they will be able to retain their knowledge about the Spanish language and culture long after they have left my classroom. In addition, I hope that each and every one of my students aspires, and one day may have the opportunity, to visit a Spanish speaking country in order to utilize their language skills to the best of their ability.

            I am dedicated to making my classroom a safe environment in which all students are treated with respect, while being given individual and appropriate resources in order to guarantee the success of all students. My classroom is not one that labels students, but rather encourages and acknowledges each and every student’s learning capabilities and positive attributes. Everyone makes mistakes and not only is it acceptable to make mistakes, but it is a crucial part of learning. Language learning is a challenge to everyone and I hope to make this challenge a positive one in which all students are excited to learn and develop as language learners. Every student has an active role in building our classroom and making it a successful learning environment. The goal is to encourage student involvement and a strong work ethic, where all students are constantly engaging and working hard while staying on task. I incorporate many creative and cultural activities in which music, art, literature, writing, games, and other forms of technology will be utilized to make learning diverse and interesting on a daily basis.

             I always have an open door policy in which I am available to speak with students to help guide them in a positive direction, whether it is class related or providing them with the proper resources to help them to the best of my ability in aspects of their personal lives. My classroom is meant to be a place of opportunity, enjoyment, enthusiasm, and hard work. It is structured yet open to students’ creativity and imaginations. When students enter my classroom at the beginning of the year, I want them to feel as if they have just entered a Spanish speaking country where new possibilities have been created.