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BVM Spanish Educator |
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Parker Palmer reflects that good teachers share a common ability: “being truly present in the classroom, deeply engaged with student and subject…able to weave a complex web of connections among themselves, their subjects and their students so students can learn to weave a world for themselves.” The challenge of attempting to do this keeps BVM Sheila O’Brien (Trea) inspired. Her interest in the Spanish language and culture began when she was a high school student. She recalls, “I loved Spanish from the first day and have taught it for 40 years. It has been a joy to see the importance of the language recognized throughout the United States.” Sheila teaches Spanish language at Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa. She received masters and doctorate degrees from Indiana University in the early 1970s in Spanish and Educational Administration. Joy of Teaching Sheila’s love the language and teaching energizes her students. “One of the great things about teaching the first levels of Spanish is that we can have fun! Mixed in with all the hard work of conjugating verbs, memorizing vocabulary, drilling exercises on computer or being scared to death to utter a foreign word in front of one’s peers is that we laugh a lot in class. “We can put on silly skits in Spanish, sing a song or marvel at the beauty of the Hispanic peoples… of course, the payoff in teaching comes when the students come alive and get excited with Spanish literature and want to learn beyond what is required, make connections, relate it to his or her life, and begin to challenge me and those around them.” She is grateful for the financial support Clarke College gives faculty to attend professional meetings. “Because we are a tiny department in a town where there aren’t a lot of native speakers, the opportunity to attend language meetings is a place of connections, inspiration, consultation that keep me current and forward thinking in my teaching and curriculum planning. “Most summers I try to travel to Spanish speaking countries to immerse myself in the language and culture to stay fluent and current.” Travel to Spanish speaking countries is as important for students as for the teachers, Sheila explains. “To convey to students the vitality of the Hispanic peoples or the complexity of multiple issues I always encourage them to use every opportunity to study abroad. “Accompanying students to Spain and Ecuador in the summers has been another vehicle for helping them explore rich, diverse cultures while critically evaluating our own.” Beyond the Classroom Sheila is recognized outside the classroom for her expertise in the Spanish language. Hospitals, social service agencies and even the Dubuque Police Department call upon her to translate when a person who is only able to speak Spanish ends up in their care. She reflects, “A look of relief comes on a battered woman’s face when someone enters to help her explain to the police what excruciating pain she has suffered or to be able to pray with a family who has suffered an unexpected death of a loved one from a heart attack or to translate the end of life directives for hospice.” Sheila has also been called on as an interpreter outside the U.S. Accompanying a social justice group from the U.S. to Latin America, “We listened to countless women give testimonies of how they had suffered under and organized to oppose the vicious dictatorships throughout the southern cone. “The stories of their pain were coming out of my mouth. There is no time to empathize if one is going to be true to what another is saying. The words just keep coming and it take enormous concentration not to want to stop and cry.” She has also interpreted for the mothers and grandmothers of the disappeared. Sheila summarizes her love for teaching Spanish, “As Jon Kabat-Zinn comments, the enormous challenge of teaching brings us much pain and we need to constantly evaluate ‘the adequacy of our generativity and genius.’ “So far I continue to be energized by the connections with students, the Spanish language and cultures and love the opportunity to continue learning.” About the author: Amy Golm, BVM is campus ministry liturgist at Clarke College, Dubuque, and a graduate student. She is also a member of the Communications Advisory Committee. Return
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