"I am a semi-retired foreign language teacher: Spanish, German, French and Latin, with 40 successful years of teaching experience. I am presently adjunct college instructor in Spanish. I am a native speaker of German with a MATL (Master of Arts in Teaching Language) degree in Spanish and a doctoral degree in linguistics. I have also studied several Amerindian languages while living in Mexico. I have extensive foreign travel, so I can not only teach you the language, but also relate it to the culture.

Philosophy of Education

To be human means to communicate using spoken language. I have traveled to many foreign countries and therefore have experienced first-hand the value of being proficient in other languages. Expert teachers have strong content knowledge and a passion about the language of instruction. My teaching philosophy stresses authenticity, teaching students about customs in other cultures as well as by providing meaningful, relevant information that learners can apply in a real-world setting. Through focusing on practical vocabulary words and expressions that the students are likely to use when communicating with native speakers as well as encouraging them to develop a near-native articulation, my students are better able to take the language skills they have acquired in the classroom and make use of them in a community setting.

Expert teachers create a positive learning environment where learners feel comfortable and eager to absorb new material. The teacher should be a positive role model and should encourage diversity and the acceptance of differences. It is important that educators be conscious of the fact that students learn more from their teacher than simply the subject matter being taught.

Students should be challenged to do their best work and should be taught slightly above their current level of ability. However, they should not be pushed beyond their capabilities, but should be encouraged to obtain their individual best levels of achievement.

It is the responsibility of teachers to" less...