What made you choose to come to Hillbrook to teach?
The first thing that I remember thinking was, “what a beautiful campus!” I would have loved to have been a student here. The sounds of nature, the creek, and the trees made all of the nerves I had about interviewing that day a little less stressful. The students in the class I taught were engaged and interested. I thought to myself, this is a place I can really grow as a teacher, and I have and continue to do so.
What strikes you most about the students at Hillbrook?
Great schools cannot exist without a great groups of kids, and the diversity of those kids.
The students here at Hillbrook are just that, a great group of kids. When I first came to Hillbrook 20 years ago, my first experience on campus was seeing children running, with smiles on their faces, to their next class. The students here are eager to learn, and therefore, inspire me every day to be the best teacher I can be for them.
When you think about the students at Hillbrook, what’s the one thing that stands out to you?
When I travel with Hillbrook students I am always impressed by how well they embody Hillbrook’s Core Values: They are kind, curious, their best, and they take risks to try new foods and experience new things. On the international trip, many students took risks and spoke Spanish to the elderly adults in a Senior Center. It was a priceless moment. Every person we have come in contact with during our trips has been so impressed by the students. Students at Hillbrook have the opportunity to learn how to be good ambassadors.
What is your favorite unit or project? What lesson are you most proud of and how does this resonate with students?
I remember once in a Spanish 7 class we were learning about food and I talked about how to make a tortilla de patata from Spain and the differences to the tortilla from Mexico. That year, I explained in great detail how to make it. This was before YouTube. A couple of days later, the mom of the student from that class stopped me and told me that her son had made the tortilla de patata that weekend and that it had turned out great.
I also love the times I have traveled with students on trips to Spanish-speaking countries and students come to find me and tell me about how they spoke Spanish to buy something or how they remember the name and history of a landmark that we have learned about in class.
What are you most looking forward to at Hillbrook in the next few months?
I am looking forward to the Graduation ceremony and the chance to see the student given the Hillbrook Award four years ago return to speak. It is such a privilege to see them about to head off to college and what advice and reflections they have for the 8th graders as they are about to start high school.
What is the last place you visited/traveled to OR the last book that you read?
The last place I visited was Punta Mita, Mexico, north of Puerto Vallarta.
We hope you enjoyed getting to know Josyane!