Tristan majored in K-12 Spanish Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Eastern Michigan University.
She completed a virtual exchange with the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain and now teaches Spanish.
Some Fun Facts About Tristan
- Theme Song: Hasta la Raíz (Natalia Lafourcade)
- Happy Place: Sitting on a beach (or by some body of water) with my Kindle
- Favorite Word in Another Language: Espantapájaros (a scarecrow)
- Social Media: @tristan_78 on Instagram
What's next following graduation?
I am a Spanish teacher at Clarenceville High School in Livonia, Michigan!
What activities or experiences would you say have most prepared you to enter the classroom or profession?
Student teaching was one of the most valuable experiences I had that
prepared me for the teaching profession. While I was very nervous about
student teaching prior to starting, I absolutely loved every single day I
spent with my students. They showed me that I made the right decision
in pursuing my dream to be an educator.
I learned that teachers do
genuinely impact students and I was able to make positive change
everyday. It was incredibly rewarding and made me so excited to have my
own classroom.
What advice or message would you like to share with fellow future language educators?
I think the most important piece of advice that I could share with fellow future language educators is that it is okay to not know everything.
There are times when we will doubt ourselves because we do not know the way to say a very specific word or phrase, but it all comes with time. We must be patient and allow ourselves time to further develop our linguistic skills as we are exposed to more and more language. Admitting that you do not know something is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign that you are willing and able to grow.
You’re invited!
- Explore the Teacher Scholarship Program and refer aspiring teachers in your network.
- Hear reflections from Tristan and fellow graduates in a short video!
- Share your #LanguageDream on social media @LangConnectsFdn.