Why did you choose Spanish as a major?
As a child, I always wanted to become a teacher. I like learning other languages and cultures. I moved here from India in 1996. I took my first Spanish class in my freshmen year of high school in 1998 and immediately fell in love with the Spanish language, and decided that I would become a teacher when I went to college.
What did you like about it?
Attending Quinnipiac was the best decision I made. I loved my Spanish courses at Quinnipiac. The professors were great, knowledgeable, and devoted to their students. The small class sizes and getting individual attention from the professors was a big plus since it creates a very ideal learning environment. Through my professors I was able to attend language related conferences and network with professionals even before my graduation.
What learning experiences did you engage in to help clarify areas of interest or prepare for life after Quinnipiac?
After graduating from Quinnipiac, I began work as a substitute teacher at Guilford High School in Guilford, Connecticut. At that time, I was also taking classes for my teaching certification at Southern Connecticut State University. The following year in 2008 I did my student teaching at Guilford High School while continuing my certification courses. After student teaching, I was hired as a full-time Spanish teacher for the upcoming school year at Guilford High School where I have been teaching since August 2008. I have also been a seller on the teacherspayteachers.com site where I sell teaching materials such as worksheets and graphic organizers that I have designed.
What advice would you give a student considering majoring in Spanish?
My advice to anyone majoring in Spanish is to immerse in the language as much as possible. Try and seek out opportunities to speak the language. I feel that learning another language also requires that a person is willing to embrace the culture of the language. The fact that you know a second language definitely gives you an edge in career opportunities since the world today is a global village.
