Spanish 5: A Tenacious Class

First of all, my apologies for not writing more often. Though I’m proud of all of my students and would love to write about all of them, things tend to get pretty busy around here and I don’t always have the time. Regardless, I would like to write a quick note about one of my favorite classes.

Learning a new language, such as Spanish, is a very difficult undertaking. It is not something that can simply be crossed off of a bucket-list. It requires constant dedication, tenacity, and motivation. Whether students come to classes after work, come early in the morning before work, or are retired and choose to dedicate their time to studying, they all show up to classes at CR Languages simply because they want to learn another language. Considering all the things one can do, I’m always impressed that my students choose to study with their spare time.

A prime real-world example of such hard work can be found every Thursday morning at 11:00 in Spanish 5. I have been particularly touched by the dedication this group has shown. Both Sandra and Beth have worked their way up from Spanish I and II over the past year and a half, and Lilly decided to take advantage of her vacation time to study. Despite all the things their busy lives entail, and between work, travel, and other hobbies, their dedication to learning Spanish has never faltered.There are never any sighs when presented with a new text, nor rolled eyes when called upon in class. Now, after suffering through the basics every student has to learn, like directions and introductions, they can converse about more interesting topics like politics, religion, or culture.

One of the more rewarding aspects of teaching is being able to learn something from my students. As much as Spanish class is a cross-cultural experience for the students, it is for me as well. I’ve learned that Americans often shy away from talking about politics and touchy subjects outside of their comfort zone; however, the Spanish 5 class has a certain quality about them that fosters interesting discussions and they are not afraid to express them in class. Being a part of these discussions has taught me a lot about American culture and people in general.

Thank you Spanish 5. It’s a pleasure learning with you in the classroom.

-Julieta