I’m Jennifer, also known as La Profesora Inspiradora. I have a PhD in Spanish from Yale (Doesn’t everyone give birth a month before earning their doctorate?) and I’ve taught Spanish to students of all ages, from kindergarten up through college seniors. I’m currently an associate professor of Spanish at a small liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, where I also serve as the department chair for the language department. And I absolutely LOVE my job! There is nothing as rewarding as helping students see how much they are capable of doing in Spanish, and the fact that we get to have fun while we’re learning is just an added plus!
A few years ago, after doing a ton of research, I made the decision to ditch my textbook, and I’ve never looked back! The biggest game changer has been shifting from a mindset of trying to help my students learn grammar and vocabulary to one in which we use grammar and vocabulary as tools for communication. Our classroom mantra is “Communication, not perfection!”
When I was first thinking about moving away from the textbook, I’ll admit I was completely overwhelmed. But as I’ve seen the results in my own classroom, I can promise you that it’s been worth every second of work!
I love to share everything I’ve learned along the way with other Spanish teachers — whether you’re ready to dive in head first and ditch the textbook yourself, or whether you just want to supplement your textbook with more communicative activities and materials, I’m here to help! I share lots of tips on my various social media accounts (so make sure to follow me via the links in the footer of this page!) and here on my blog, as well as through my weekly emails (where I even pass along some exclusive freebies from time to time!)
If you’re interested in any of the activities and/or materials I’ve created for my students, please feel free to visit my store on Teachers Pay Teachers, where I’ve posted my favorites for sale.
Did I mention I love my job?
Welcome to my blog! I look forward to sharing inspiration with you!