Every preeminent teacher must hold passion in the subject they teach. It’s a seemingly obvious statement, really, though an increasingly apparent complaint is seen on social media platforms and it has progressed its way to whispers throughout the Wilsonville halls: “My teacher literally sat down the entire class and didn’t even teach, again. Does my teacher even like what they’re teaching?”
Despite the fact that this issue has become more publicly prominent, language teachers frequently evade this complaint in its entirety. Romance language teachers, specifically, carry a pride and passion for what they teach; The question is why?
Of course, every individual teacher endured their own personal experiences which eventually swayed them to a trajectory that led them to become a romance language teacher. Therefore, yes, each teacher is in love with the language they sought out, but it manifests in diverging though overlapping ways.
Primarily, English speakers are particularly drawn to romance languages due to the familiar consonant clusters and combination of sounds. While this sparks interest, it does not induce a love in any way for the language. Although, applying language to real life circumstances and growing connections through language is a commonality found within romance language teachers, which catalyzed their love for the dialect.
Senor Smeraglio, returning Spanish teacher of 16 years, grasped an opportunity to use his facility for the language when he studied abroad. He explains that,
“When I had the chance to travel and use my language in another country that’s when it really.. it clicked. It helped me build my confidence that I could use (Spanish) with native speakers but also just kind of made (Spanish) feel more real and authentic.”
This exemplifies how teachers at Wilsonville found that the ability to traverse through other cultures and communicate with natives firsthand introduced a true identity and meaning established in language. It draws light to freedom found in the knowledge of languages, rather than confining it to solely act as words and phrases one duresses when their teacher commands them to participate in class.
But why are romance languages extremely beneficial to aid in crafting connections? It’s due to the fact that all romance languages are interpretations of vulgar latin. Therefore, obtaining knowledge of roots, basic vocabulary, and grammatical forms in one romance language translates to another, which renders aid to comprehend increased numbers of languages and connections interculturally.
Spanish teacher Senor Garcia reiterates this importance of learning languages due to the ability to communicate derived from the knowledge. Senor Garcia, raised in a dominantly Spanish speaking home, hadn’t thought much of his bilingual education until his family hosted exchange students. He explains, saying that,
“So what’s funny is, just kind of like how everyone who speaks English and grew up with it, they just are kind of used to it. That’s just how Spanish was for me, it was just the language I used to speak with family in Mexico or people who speak Spanish. But really kind of where the interest of learning languages came from was when we had exchange students from Germany, Norway, Paragua and Belgium, which I think was 8th grade.”
He expands on this catalyst further, reminiscing on his ability to connect,
“In college I took French. That’s what drove the passion of, ‘hey, learn a language,’ as you learn so much about the culture, your people, and it also creates opportunities if you interact with someone from a different culture. Let’s say someone from poland; they don’t speak Spanish, they don’t speak English, but they speak French, oh there’s our middle ground, and we’re able to connect.”
Though only a couple were referred to, infinite answers supply an adequate consensus as to why romance languages continue to enthrall teachers late into their careers. Some hooked by international connections permitted by the ability to comprehend the basics of each other’s native languages, others in response to increased confidence derived from the knowledge, or even those who love languages since they act as engrossing party tricks.
Therefore, yes, it is a pressing issue in todays society whether teachers still clutch onto any left over passion they once held for subjects they teach, though Wilsonville romance language teachers can proudly say they do not fit in with that crowd. Continuing to spread their love of language to students, these teachers still maintain prosperous amounts of active enthusiasm.