Señora Hernandez, a beloved Spanish teacher at Wilton High School, enjoys walking, hiking, swimming, cooking, spending time with her family, and traveling. It is already apparent that Sra. Hernandez is a person of many interests.
Señora also puts a tremendous effort into her work and still manages to bring a lighthearted attitude to each and every one of her classes. This year at WHS she is excited to be teaching Spanish IV Honors and AP Spanish Language & Culture.
Background:
Before we dive into her impact on our WHS community, it’s important to understand Señora’s upbringing and early passions. She grew up in a suburb of Mexico City and attended an all-girls school from kindergarten through high school. Doing well in school was always a priority for her, but swimming became her passion at a young age.
When Sra. Hernandez was 12, she started synchronized swimming, now known as artistic swimming. At 15, she became a member of the Mexican national team, and she spent her summers traveling to competitions such as the Pan American Games in Venezuela and the World Cup Championship in Spain.
When asked what motivated her to pursue teaching, Señora Hernandez shared, “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. When I had to decide what to study in college, I followed my dad’s advice and majored in accounting. I was an intern at a small firm in Mexico City for a couple of years, and while working there was interesting, it wasn’t a profession that I loved as much as I love teaching.”
Early Teaching Experience:
Luckily, this only pushed Señora’s path closer to teaching as the universe had other plans. After graduating from college in Mexico, Señora Hernandez married her husband and moved to the United States for his graduate studies at UT Austin, where they lived for six years. Eventually, they settled in Wilton, and Señora started working at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, teaching Spanish to middle school students.
“This was my first experience with teaching, and I loved it! After nine years there, I decided to get my certification in teaching and then was hired at Wilton High School, which I now consider my second home!”
Señora Hernandez currently holds two master’s degrees: one in teaching and one in Spanish literature. Earning the first one was very fulfilling, as it included her first formal courses in education. Señora was inspired to pursue her second masters by her students; after noticing how interested they were in the culture of Spanish-speaking countries, she wanted to match their enthusiasm. “I knew that I had to educate myself further to properly engage my students,” she said.
Present:
Señora Hernandez has been a teacher at WHS for 17 years. Throughout her teaching career, the thing she has loved most is her students. “As soon as my students come into the classroom, they make me happy. I feel very lucky to have a job that I love.”
Reflections:
Looking back at her earlier days at WHS, Señora expresses deep gratitude toward the World Languages department. “I have enjoyed working with my colleagues and appreciate the collaboration and support that we have with each other,” she stated.
Recently, The Forum collaborated with Señora Hernandez’s AP Spanish Language & Culture classes, or as she calls them “la crema y nata,” to write an article on Magical Realism and publish some of the students’ writings.
In response to this, Señora expressed, “I loved the collaboration we did. I’ve done it before, and I think that The Forum is a great way for students to practice crucial skills. It is a snapshot of what they will be doing in the real world. It is also a great incentive for students to see their published work. A few years ago, I published movie reviews, as well as drawings and short stories that my students created.”
Career Goals & Aspirations:
In the future, Señora Hernandez wants to continue her pursuit of constantly learning new things. A key way in which she plans to do this is by furthering her engagement with new technology to improve the way that she teaches. For example, she has created activities on the Speakology AI platform which allows students to converse with an AI-generated tutor and discuss any topic of interest in Spanish.
She adds that, “My goal is that when I look back at my years of teaching, I am proud of what I did. I always try to remember that students probably will not remember every specific thing I taught them, but they will remember how I made them feel. I also believe that if you create interesting lessons in an environment where students are happy, they will be motivated to learn.”
Student Impact:
It is very special to Señora when she receives messages from WHS graduates sharing that they are continuing their Spanish education and that she played a role in that decision.
Her current AP students consistently report that Sra. Hernandez always uplifts her pupils by bringing an energetic and positive attitude to each and every one of her classes.
According to WHS junior Pieper Markowski, “I love being a student in Señora Hernandez’s class because she comes into class ready to make us laugh, sing, and think, qualities which make the class more engaging and informative. Also, she is extremely dedicated to her work, it is clear she spends hours on grading our assignments and giving us meaningful feedback, which helps us improve. From her bubbly personality to her strong work ethic, it is clear that she cares about her students and the content she teaches, making the class special.”
WHS junior Harper Crawford adds that “I love being a student in Señora Hernandez’s class because I really feel like she cares about us as people as well as students. A while ago, I got super overwhelmed in class, and afterwards she took the time to check in with me, make sure I was ok, and tell me she was always there for me. It was super sweet and really made me feel seen and cared for.”
When asked about Señora Hernandez’s impact on their engagement with the language, both Markowski and Crawford expressed an interest in elevating their learning as a result of her teachings.
Markowski explains that “she has made me realize that language is so much more than words, but the pinnacle of someone’s culture. We always dive into literature, art, or music which allows me to make connections outside the language itself. I think it is a valuable perspective and one that I am looking forward to diving further into as the year progresses.”
Similarly, Crawford adds that “While her class has definitely been tough, it’s given me a lot of confidence and helped to reinforce what I love about the language. Because of her, I’ve decided to take AP Spanish Literature next year. She’s inspired me to keep trying hard things and to continue learning as much Spanish as possible.”
Words of Advice:
Lastly, Señora Hernandez urges The Forum readers to appreciate WHS: “When I say ‘pobres chicos de Wilton,’ it is because I want my students to realize how lucky they are to be part of this school district.” She advises students to “Focus on things that you love to do and don’t be afraid of trying new things.”
After interviewing Sra. Hernandez and witnessing firsthand how she teaches, her advice is truly fitting with her life serving as a testament to it. Señora Hernandez, a woman of great intelligence, passion, and tenacity, has captured our hearts here at Wilton High. Our staff here at The Forum cannot wait to see how she will continue to impact our school.
Glossary:
¡Gracias Ethan y solo Ethan! – Thank you, Ethan, and only Ethan!
La crema y nata – the cream of the crop
Pobres chicos de Wilton – poor Wilton kids
¡Qué horror! – How horrible!
