Hola y Bonjour: Mrs. Fogelson Teaches Two Languages

Hola+y+Bonjour%3A+Mrs.+Fogelson+Teaches+Two+Languages

At Dominion High School, it is common to see teachers teaching more than one subject throughout the school year, but with teaching foreign languages that is a different discussion. Mrs. Fogelson is the only one teaching two languages: Spanish (both AP and Spanish 5) and French 1.

What led you to become a Spanish and now also a French Teacher?

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I lived in Texas when I was in elementary school and that’s when I became aware of other languages. I started taking Spanish in the 7th grade when we lived in Ohio. That’s when I realized, “Hey, I can be a Spanish teacher!” I took Spanish all through high school and started French my senior year. My teacher for French that year was also my Spanish teacher, so she was a good example. I took both languages along with my educational courses in college.

 

Has it ever become a real challenge to teach two languages so far?

It can be confusing because my vocabulary in Spanish is so much greater than in French. But, because they are both romance languages, having their origin in Latin, there are many similarities in both the vocabulary and many grammatical structures. There’s a language device called “code switching” where people who speak more than one language can easily go back and forth between them. I can do that with English, Spanish, and French. It kind of freaks out my students when I’m teaching Spanish and then one of my French colleagues or students will stop by and we will converse in French, and then I’m back into Spanish. They’re like, “How do you do that?”

 

What’s the most fun part about doing what you do at Dominion?

I love to teach about cultural aspects of the people who speak these languages. I teach Spanish 5, which is almost like a Social Science course but in Spanish. We use passports and “travel” through all of the countries, learning about history, geography, the arts, foods, government systems, etc. as well as the different language and cultural nuances. I have learned a lot from my Spanish-speaking students who share about their heritage or their native backgrounds. I feel like there’s a mutual respect in that they can share about themselves and they can see how excited I am to learn.

 

Has this been done before in Dominion?

I know several people in LCPS who are licensed to teach more than one language. At the time when I was in college it was recommended to get dual licensing to have a better chance at getting a job. And, it gives the school flexibility in scheduling when they have teachers who can teach in more than one area.

 

What were the circumstances that forced/allowed you to teach two languages and do you plan on doing it going forward?

As far as how it has worked at Dominion I get to teach French 1 when there is an extra section of French, depending on how many students are enrolled. We have two full time French teachers, Madame Woolley and Madame McDermott. I remember the first year when Dr. Brewer asked me if I would be willing to take it on. I’m not sure if he thought I would agree to it but I see it as a way to help our department continue to grow our programs and it’s a great way to keep my mind healthy!