Tag Archives: Foreign Language Teachers

Spanish teacher and TikTok sensation Dr. Trevor Boffone

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Often dedicated classroom teachers will do anything to motivate their students. Here’s one who hip-hop dances with them: Dr. Trevor Boffone, a Spanish teacher at Bellaire High School in Houston, Texas. He has more than 300,000 followers on Instagram – all because of his viral videos in the classroom. Dr. Boffone wanted a way to connect with his students and asked them to teach him some dance moves like the ones he viewed on Dubsmash and TikTok. In just six weeks, he racked up 50,000 followers. Now he has millions of views and followers around the country! Dr. Boffone says he’s not afraid to dance like no one’s watching, but he knows plenty of people are. Watch him with his students in the 4:21 minute video below. Enjoy!

 

Sara Wyffels of Arizona garners 2021 Teacher of the Year Award

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Congratulations to Sara Wyffels, a Spanish language educator from Chandler, Arizona, who has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: AZ Big Media.

Congratulations to Sara Wyffels, a Spanish language educator from Chandler, Arizona, who has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.

Sara was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest in Kent, Washington. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, in 2002. Her studies there included a study abroad experience in Segovia, Spain. She earned her Master’s degree in Teaching from the University of Portland in 2004. In addition, she is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher. Her career as an educator has spanned 14 years.

Once she earned her degrees, Sara inaugurated her career as an educator at a middle school Spanish in West Linn, Oregon for two years before relocating to Arizona. Currently, Sara teaches high school Spanish Language Arts through the Chandler Online Academy associated with Chandler High School. The courses she teaches include Honors Spanish 3, International Baccalaureate Advanced Placement, and Spanish 4.

Sara says she doesn’t consider herself to be the person in the classroom who owns the knowledge. “I prefer to be into the curiosity with the students and to grow with them and to discover together, that it’s not just coming straight from me, but that collectively we’re building knowledge and learning skills together,” the honored educator explained.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Sara serves her school as the advisor for the Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica and the Gender Alliance Club. She is also the Chair for her school’s World Language Department.

Sara says she became a teacher to make a difference. “I choose to teach and I choose to remain a teacher. Being a teacher is one of the most fulfilling careers an individual can have because you’re changing lives,” asserts Sara. “As a Spanish  teacher, I see firsthand how the power of language  inspires human connection. Teaching language isn’t just about learning new vocabulary; it’s opening the eyes of my students to a world beyond themselves and teaching them how to be global citizens,” she concluded.

To read more about this exemplary educator, see this story about her published online by azcentral.com.

 

New York teacher Ntina Paleos-Stemas succumbs to Covid-19

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Sadly, beloved New York English teacher Ntina Paleos-Stemas succumbed to Covid-19 on Jan. 30, 2021. Photo credit: www.liherald.com.

Sadly, we report that yet another beloved educator has succumbed to Covid-19. Ntina Paleos-Stemas, a high school Enbglish teacher from New York, succumbed to the disease on January 30, 2021. She was 55 years old.

Ntina was originally from Greece, but she was raised in Baldwin, New York. As a young girl, she graduated from Baldwin High School. Ntina discovered her passion for teaching at schools in Switzerland and Argentina. She then accepted a teaching position in the Hewlitt-Woodmere Public School District in 1998. In that district, she taught first at the Franklin Early Childhood Center, then at Ogden Elementary School, and then at Woodmere Middle School before finally landing at Hewlett High School, where she taught for the last 22 years.

Fluent in several languages, including English, Greek, Spanish, and French, Ntina helped establish the district’s first English as a Second Language summer program. She taught academics and exposed the students to the culture of a world languages through educational trips.

Ntina will be sorely missed by both colleagues and students. “She dedicated her career to our ENL families, and was well-known for her caring, compassionate teaching style and staunch advocacy for her cherished students,” recalled Hewlitt-Woodmere Superintendent Marino. “Ms. Paleos-Stemas’ love for her students extended far beyond the halls of Hewlett-Woodmere, as she remained in contact with them for many years after graduation.”

Fellow teacher Caryn Bachar agreed. She remembered that Ntina was a positive and supportive force in the lives of her students. “Ntina dedicated her career to educating English Language Learners and advocated for them in school and in their lives,” Bachar said. “Many of her students stayed in touch with her long after graduation. She was invited to their graduations, weddings, and the births of their children.”

When not in the classroom, Ntina loved to spend her time with her children, family members, and friends. She also loved to travel to experience other cultures, and spent much time in her native homeland of Greece.

To read more about Ntina, see this obituary published by liherald.com.

Marilyn Barrueta: 2005 Inductee into Teachers Hall of Fame

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Spanish-language educagtor marilyn Barrueta of Virigina was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 2005. Photo credit: National Tewachers Hall of Fame.

It is always a wonderful thing when an exceptional educator is recognized for their endeavors. The recognition inspires the rest of us to work harder. I certainly experienced such inspiration when I read the story of Marilyn Barrueta, a Spanish-language teacher from Virginia. This innovative and tireless educator was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 2005, after a lengthy and illustrious career that spanned 48 years.

Marilyn was born November 28, 1935. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in 1957, and completed graduate work at several distinguished institutions, including Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Virginia.

For many years, Marilyn taught Spanish, Advanced Placement Spanish, and Spanish for Native Speakers at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia. Prior to working at Yorktown High, Marilyn taught English as a second language, math, and social studies at Stratford Junior High School in Virginia. Marilyn also taught summer school sessions for Arlington’s adult education program.

“She challenged me beyond just the classroom,” remembered Marilyn’s former student Julianne Koch, “and when I look back at how much I have grown in the past several years, I know much of it is because of her.”

This very impressive educator was also greatly admired by her peers, and several took the occasion of her induction to express their admiration. “Most impressive to me,” expressed Bill A. Heller, Department Chair of Perry High School, “is Marilyn’s tireless pursuit of knowledge. Through the lens of her experience, she is able to examine and evaluate the most promising new research, techniques and materials, and integrate those new findings with the very best of her vast repertoire of highly effective classroom-tested activities.”

This Chalkboard Champion passed away on November 4, 2010, in McLean, Virginia. She was 74 years old.

CA’s Romaine Washington: Educator and acclaimed poet

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Many talented classroom teachers also find notoriety as authors. One of these is Romaine Washington, a California educator who has earned acclaim as a poet. (Photo credit: www.romainewashington.com)

Many talented classroom teachers also find notoriety as authors. One of these is Romaine Washington, a California educator who has earned acclaim as a poet.

Romaine was born and raised in San Bernardino in Southern California. As a latch key kid afflicted with asthma, she spent many after-school hours reading. And even as a youngster, her gift for poetry earned special attention from her teachers.

As an adult, Romaine earned her Bachelor’s degree in French from California State University, San Bernardino. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. She is a fellow of the Inland Area Writing Project (IAWP), a program that offers teachers additional training in instructional practices for writing sponsored by the University of California, Riverside.

After earning her degrees, Romaine worked as a high school teacher. It was in her first year that she completed the IAWP program. “I was invited back to be a workshop presenter and then a facilitator for the summer program,” she recalled. “For two years, I was poet-in-resident,” she continued. She also accepted a position to teach as an adjunct in the Cultural Language and Diversity Program  at her alma mater, Azusa Pacific. In all, her career as an educator has spanned over 20 years.

Romaine has published two books of poetry, including Sirens in Her Belly (2015) and Purgatory Has An Address, which is due to be released in April of this year. Her work has been published in a wide variety of anthologies and periodicals, including San Bernardino Singing, Lullwater Review, and Cholla Needles. She also contributes to the Inlandia Institute, an organization that offers creative writing classes for adults in the Inland Empire of Southern California. In addition, she has presented her work in a wide variety of venues from National Poetry Slam, National Public Radio, and her local radio station KPFK.

To learn more about Romaine, see her website at  www.romainewashington,com.