For the past two years I have had the opportunity to teach undergraduate French courses within the Romance Languages Department at the University of Oregon. As a Graduate Teaching Fellow, I served as the sole instructor of seven different beginning and intermediate courses including French 101, 102, 102, 201, 202, 203, and an accelerated section of French 102 in the summer of 2016. These introductory courses developed listening, speaking, reading and writing skills through a variety of communicative activities and an introduction to authentic literary and cultural texts. Within this role, I implemented and contributed to the development of the department curriculum, facilitated classroom discussions, developed assessments and evaluated student work. Working under a supervising instructor and collaborating with a team of other graduate students gave me the chance to share my expertise, learn new strategies and reflect on my teacing practice and guiding philosophy. Outside of the classroom, I held regular office hours to provide additional support to students and communicated effectively through e-mail and Canvas, the University’s information management system. Many of my students have gone on to pursue French majors or minors, study abroad opportunities, or advanced course work in International and European Studies.

UO Department of Romance Languages

Prior to my work at the University of Oregon, I taught secondary French for eight years in California public schools. First as a substitute, then as a student teacher, intern, and finally a fully-credentialed, highly qualified educator, I have experience at both the middle and high school levels working with diverse populations in varied class sizes and settings. My primary responsibility as a world language teacher is to deliver standards based instruction backed by up-to-date language acquisition research so that students develop skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening in the French language, and an understanding and appreciation of its related cultures and communities. To accomplish these goals, I have designed lesson plans and instructional sequences that make the language accessible and engaging for all students, taking into consideration their individual interests, learning styles, skills, and language experiences. I employ a variety of teaching methods and materials that enhance the textbook curriculum and activate Garnder’s multiple intelligences. Regular checks for understanding, moments of pause for student feedback and reflection, and a balance of formative and summative assessments inform my decision-making and enable fair proficiency-based evaluations that reflect what students are able to do with the language they acquire. Perhaps most importantly, I create an environment where students feel welcomed, safe, supported and encouraged to explore and take risks as language learners and citizens of a big, diverse world.