Communicating with others is an essential skill, but how do we properly do so when it comes to language barriers? Knowing multiple languages can be advantageous in a plethora of situations, from traveling to a foreign country to applying for a job. Summer Van Wagnen, a Spanish II and III teacher opens up a world of opportunities to her students through second language classes.
Learning a different language is undoubtedly laborious and frustrating at times, but Ms. Van Wagnen engages her students through series of hands-on activities to reinforce concepts. An example of one of those is Kahoot!–a free game-based learning platform that allows students to learn vocabulary while simultaneously enjoying the competitiveness of a game. Sophomore Lily Alomari describes her personal favorite learning tool that Ms. Van Wagnen has incorporated into the fabric of instruction; “She had us draw out paintings of famous Spanish artists we were learning about, and then our partner had to guess who the artist was. It was so much fun.” Van Wagnen adds variety into each of her lessons, keeping in mind that each student has a different way that they learn best.
Traveling has been a recurring theme over Ms. Van Wagnen’s life inside and outside of school. One of her favorite trips was to Cuba as part of a class at NC State. The part that stuck with her the most was the sense of history and how welcoming the people were. It taught her that Cuba is a better place than what most people think. Ms. Van Wagnen has also traveled Argentina where she studied Portuguese. “I nearly failed,” Ms. Van Wagnen revealed. “It helped me see how people find language acquisition difficult.” Having the perspective of a student enables Ms. Van Wagnen to aid students who struggle with Spanish.
A safe and open environment is one of Ms. Van Wagnen’s top priorities, exhibited in her role as the advisor of GSA. Gay Straight Alliance unites LGBTQ teens and their straight allies through discussion and campaigns. Though GSA is not an official Millbrook club, it is one of the largest groups that meet at Millbrook, so leading it is a great responsibility. The atmosphere is equally as welcoming in her classroom. “I always look forward to Spanish. She really knows how to keep the class alive with her sense of humor,” said freshmen Simon Keane.
If there is one thing students can all agree on, it is that Ms. Van Wagnen is an exceptional teacher.