Tag Archives: Spanish Language Teachers

Former Spanish teacher Leonora Dodge of Vermont now serves in her state’s Home of Reps

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Former Spanish teacher Leonora Dodge, a recipient of a Mellon Fellowship, a Ford grant, and a Fulbright scholarship. has been elected to the Vermont House of Representatives. Photo credit: Leonora Dodge

Many exemplary teachers also make very competent politicians. One of these is Leonora Dodge, a Spanish teacher from Vermont who also serves in the Vermont State House of Representatives.

Leonora was born in the United States to immigrant parents from Ireland and Mexico. She grew up in Montreal and Mexico City.

Lenora earned her Bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies from Williams College. She earned her Master’s degree in Latin American History from the University of Texas at Austin. As part of her education, she completed college semesters in Chile and southern Spain, and studied in Guatemala for a month. A talented and hard-working student, Lenora has garnered a Mellon Fellowship, a Ford grant, and a Fulbright scholarship.

Leonora taught Spanish in public schools in the Vermont town of Essex. She also taught at Vermont Commons High School and at Champlain College, and she worked as a classroom para-educator in the Spanish Immersion Elementary program in Jericho Elementary school. Her community service includes running Spanish playgroups, coordinating children’s activities at the annual Burlington Latino Festival, and coaching world championship Odyssey of the Mind teams, Leonora also shares her love of Latinx culture by teaching inclusive and multi-age dance fitness classes and dance events through which she has raised thousands of dollars for local non-profits such as COTS, SD Ireland Cancer Research, and Steps to End Domestic Violence. In addition, Leonora completed volunteer work at HomeShare Vermont, Music Contact International, Justicia Migrante/Migrant Justice, and Essex B.E.S.T. (Building Equity, Solidarity, and Trust.

In 2022, Leonora was elected to thee Vermont House o Representatives on the Democratic ticket. There she represents the community of Chittenden District 23.

As a legislator, Lenora works toward correcting the current work force shortage; the need for high-quality affordable mental health care; ensuring underserved students achieve academic and social success; and balancing environmental sustainability with the need for housing to rent and buy.

Spanish-language teacher Marilyn Barrueta remembered

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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.

Marilyn’s former students remember her influence on their lives with fondness. “She challenged me beyond just the classroom,” recalls 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 most 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,” he said.

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

Alvin Irby’s Barbershop Books program hooks Black boys on reading

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Alvin Arby, a former first grade teacher from New York City, founded Barbershop Books, an organization that places high-interest books in barbershops with a predominantly African American clientele. The effort has been successful in hooking Black boys on reading. Photo Credit: Barbershop Books

Alvin Irby, a former first grade teacher from New York City, was sitting in a barber’s chair one day when one of his young students entered the shop. The little boy was restless and distracted, looking for something to occupy his attention while he waited his turn in the chair. That day, Alvin reflected on the fact that many of his African American boys were decidedly uninterested in reading, and the teacher became determined to find a way to hook them on the all-important literacy skill.

With that determination, Alvin founded Barbershop Books, a nonprofit organization that places high-interest books in barbershops with a predominantly African American clientele. The effort took him out of the classroom and into the boardroom. Since the organization’s founding in 2013, Alvin has worked to spread the practice beyond his own neighborhood. In fact, Barbershop Books has provided titles for young boys to 250 shops in 20 states and more than 50 cities.

Alvin says that, while he sees the value of Black boys having exposure to characters and authors who look like them, he also believes the best way to get them to love reading is to make it fun. Photo Credit: Barbershop Books

Alvin says that, while he sees the value of Black children, especially boys, having exposure to characters and authors who look like them, he also believes the best way to get them to love reading is to make it fun. “Black boys are more than just their skin color,” Alvin declares. “They want to read about trucks. They want to laugh. So many of the books that feature Black boys don’t give them a chance to be boys: silly or gross or funny.”

Alvin is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. His mother was a public school teacher for 30 years. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. He earned his Master’s degree in Childhood Education from Bank Street College of Education in New York. He earned a second Master’s degree in Public Administration from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.

To learn more, click on this link to Barbershop Books.

Lauren Camarillo named a 2023 California State Teacher of the Year

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Spanish teacher Lauren Camarillo of Mountain View, California, is one of five educators in her state who have been named a 2023 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: California Teachers Association

Congratulations to California teacher Lauren Camarillo, who has garnered recognition as one of five educators in her state who have been named a 2023 Teacher of the Year.

In a career that has spanned 12 years, Lauren has taught seven of them at Mountain View High School in the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District in Santa Clara County. She instructs courses Spanish there. In addition, she serves as the adviser for the school’s Ambassadors Club and Spartan Dance Club. Prior to her employment in Mountain View, she taught at Willow Glen High School in San Jose, California.

“My whole family is in education,” reveals Lauren. “We are teachers, counselors, administrators, and professors,” she continues. “From a young age, I got to see the ways they helped their students reach their full potential as learners and as people. This motivated me to find ways to make a positive impact in my own community,” she concludes.

Lauren earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Linguistics, and Spanish from UCLA in 2010. She earned her Master’s degree in Secondary Education from Stanford University in 2011. In addition to her honors as a California Teacher of the Year, Lauren was named a Santa Clara County Teacher of the Year in 2022.

Established in 1972, The California Teacher of the Year program, which was established in 1972, was designed to honor the teaching profession and increase interest in teaching as a career. The program brings attention to teachers who successfully employ strategies to increase academic success and narrow the achievement gap. In addition to Lauren, the other four educators honored are Jason Torres-Rangel and Bridgette Donald-Blue of Los Angeles, Catherine Borek of Compton, and Ben Case of Irvine.

AVID teacher Rosa Dockal mentors at-risk students

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Rosa Dockal, an AVID teacher in San Antonio, Texas, was just a child and couldn’t speak English when she came to this country as an immigrant. Now she teaches at-risk, first-generation students. Photo Credit: Open Sky Media Publications

I always enjoy sharing stories about inspirational educators from around the country. One of these is Rosa Dockal, a teacher from San Antonio, Texas. She was named one of her District’s Teachers of the Year in 2021.

Rosa currently teaches AVID courses at Travis Early College High School in the San Antonio Independent School District. Her career as an educator spans 25 years. The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program provides extra support for low-income, minority students. The curriculum involves instruction in note-taking and study skills, tutoring, and mentoring. Most of the students who graduate from the program have earned a high school diploma plus an Associate’s degree and up to 60 college credits from San Antonio College. 

Rosa’s family immigrated to San Antonio from Mexico when she was a pre-schooler. “When I came from Mexico, I didn’t know English, so I knew the struggle of learning a different language. It’s not easy,” Rosa declares. But by the time she was in the fifth grade, she was at the top of her class, and she was placed in a magnet program.

Even though she was the first in her family to graduate from high school, Rosa declared her intent to go to college to become a teacher. “I didn’t know what a FAFSA was,” she admits. “My parents didn’t speak the language, so I had to do it by myself—but I didn’t do it by myself, because I had so many teachers and counselors who helped me,” she says. “If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know if I would have gone,” she confesses.

Rosa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Texas, San Antonio. Once she landed her teaching position at Travis, she began to work with at-risk, first-generation students like herself. In addition to her AVID courses, she also teaches Spanish language classes.

For her exemplary work with young people, Rosa was named one of several teachers in her district as a Teacher of the Year in 2021.