The Most Important Lesson by Tia-Lanette

The Most Important Lesson by Tia-Lanette - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

What is the most important lesson you've learned from a teacher?
In all that you do, be passionate. This is the greatest lesson I learned from my high school Spanish teacher. Profe, which is what we called him, was known at my high school as one of the best teachers. Everyone loved him, and once I took his AP Spanish classes, I understood why.
Profe stood out because of the insane amount of passion he had for the Spanish language and culture. He loved the fact that New Mexico was so unique! There were so many different variations of Spanish in one area, and Profe made sure our class was just as diverse. He would divide us into two groups: the “gringos” would be the native English speakers and the “hispanohablantes” would be the native Spanish speakers. During the first week of classes he would say, “find your gringo,” and the hispanohablantes would rush to pair up with one of us. Profe wanted us to understand and appreciate the value of partnership between the two main cultures. An area that one partner lacked in was the strong suit of the other partner. Soon it was clear to all of us that he truly- and I mean truly- cared about what we retained from this class. It was not just about memorizing Spanish vocabulary. It was so much more. He helped us understand the culture, and how closely intertwined we really were.
Elders tell us all the time that “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Profe lived by this philosophy! He was so in love with teaching that his students could not help but be excited to enter the classroom…And enter they did. He would come into work early to help students that didn’t quite understand last night’s homework. He would stay extra late in case anyone needed one last question answered. He would even leave his classroom open for lunch so students could talk to him. Profe’s lunch hours were a big hit with older students like myself. Often he would give us “adult” advice about taxes and building credit or share his most recent travels to Spain. Man, he loved Spain.
Passion is contagious. No matter what school you attend, what you study, or how you learn, passion in the classroom inspires students of every background to perform to the best of their abilities. That is one of the greatest lesson I learned from my high school Spanish teacher. His passion inspired me to continue my studies in Spanish, and to pursue a career in foreign language education. I want my passion to influence others to be change agents in their own communities. I want them to be just as inspired as I was by Profe. He was more than a teacher. He was a mentor, counselor, and friend. I will be eternally grateful for everything he has taught me. Thanks Profe.