Nicole Fannoney

I have been a middle school Spanish teacher since 2002. I taught for five years in Washington D.C. and have been teaching in a public school outside of Boston since 2007. I received my undergraduate degree at the University of New Hampshire in Spanish and International Affairs; Received my Teacher certification from Trinity College in Washington DC, and obtained my Masters in Education in Teaching Spanish from UMASS Boston.

Two words to describe my teaching style are modern and innovative. I believe in finding new ways to teach a foreign language. I believe that the foreign language classroom should attempt to give students authentic experiences in which they can apply the language in context. Too many foreign language classrooms are based on a text book in which teachers are still drilling students with verb conjugations and vocabulary lists. Very little proficiency will be acquired using these outdated and traditional based linguistic approaches. I try to develop new materials that will truly enhance the learning of Spanish for my students.

I have not received any specific honors or awards formally. I have had many teachable moments that I am proud of. My biggest accomplishment was when I was teaching in Washington D.C., I was able to organize and raise funds to bring students to Mexico City. We went for 7 nights and 8 days and the students had an experience of a lifetime as did I. My latest focus is using technology to enhance the classroom experience and provide authentic communication practice in the target language for my students. I created a teacher WIKI page this year, an international blog with Colegio Peterson in Mexico City, and created a chat room for my students and the Mexican students to talk real time during their "free time". Imagine that you are able to shift the focus from obtaining an A+ to enriching one's life by making bilingualism a reality.

Bachelors Degree in Spanish and International Affairs from the University of New Hampshire. Graduate Courses at Trinity University in Washington D.C. Graduate Program and Masters in Education in Teaching Spanish at the University of UMASS Boston (scheduled to graduate Summer 2012)

Not applicable, I can't think of more to write yet. I will get back to this.