My name is Ana V. Klinke I am originally from Managua, Nicaragua. I graduated from Rowan University with a Spanish degree and a minor in Education. I have being teaching Spanish for 5 years however I have being working in the education field for 8 years.
My objective as a teacher is to motivate my students toward a level of independence where they develop a desire to learn and think for themselves. To reach this end, I rely upon many activities that involve a total physical response (TPR) by the students. Instead of just reading about salsa and listening to the music, my students dance the steps and sing the songs, engaging in the action as they learn both Spanish language skills and elements of Hispanic/Latino culture. Learning in my classroom occurs within cooperative and collaborative group work. I have found this strategy completely effective and positive to reaffirm and develop strong student-to-student and instructor-to-students relationships. By establishing an honest and sincere communication in my classrooms, I have also been able to create a positive and enjoyable environment for my students, which motivates them to participate actively in activities.
I believe that effective teachers understand what knowledge their students already have, and find a way to tap into that knowledge and build upon it every day. To me, technology is one of the most important tools an effective teacher can use in the classroom to address different learning styles, to create a productive learning environment, and to increase student motivation.
I believe that my enthusiastic, cultural-technological approach to teaching Spanish enables students to acquire language skills in a manner that keeps them interested and motivated, and requires their own critical thinking of discussion points which makes their learning their own. The results I have seen in my students are quite positive. Many see me outside the classroom, and even though they are no longer my students continue to communicate with me in Spanish.
In sum, my overarching goal is to challenge and support students as they seek to discern the next stage of their journey and prepare themselves to lead fulfilling lives as engaged citizens of the world. In the context of my discipline, this entails developing the language proficiency required to communicate effectively in Spanish and the cultural proficiency needed to function comfortably in Spanish-speaking communities and to appreciate the rich diversity of Hispanic cultures.