Q: First of all, have you taught in the past?

A: Yes, I have taught for 11 years.

Q: Which schools.

A: After I finished college, I taught a year in Louisiana, a private high school. And then, I went to graduate school at Villanova University in Pennsylvania to do my master’s degree in Spanish. So I taught there, and then after that I taught for a year at a community college.  Then I went to University of Houston to do my PhD. So I taught there, and then I have been teaching there since.  So 11 years, a lot of different places.

Q: What is your favorite part of teaching Spanish?

A: I like seeing student’s progress. They don’t think they can do it, and then I like seeing several months later realizing that they can actually do it if they work hard enough and pay attention in class. Then do what I ask them to do that they can actually speak Spanish.

Q: What level do you teach?

A: Spanish 1.

Q: What did you teach while you worked at U of H and other schools?

A: So I taught all levels of Spanish and then at U of H I also teach in the Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies department.

Q: Okay, so you teach here and there?

A: Yes. I am here all day and then Tuesdays and Thursdays I go to U of H at night and teach.

Q: What do you look forward to this year?

A: I am looking forward to getting to know the students, getting to know the other teachers. Creating a supportive environment.  The last year was crazy with Harvey, so starting at a fresh place and doing good things.

Q: Why did you decide to teach at Bellaire?

A: So funny story. It might not be that funny.  My wife teaches theater here, Ms. Buffone, so I had heard about Bellaire since she got here. She has been saying great things about working here and how chill it is and how people are really happy working here, and so I thought it might be a good place to be.

Q: This is sort of similar to another question, but what are your goals for this year?

A: To get a full night of sleep every night.  To be well rested by May.  That is one major goal.  One other goal would be to keep students engaged.  To keep them engaged throughout the year.

Q: Why did you decide to start teaching or start working in education 12 years ago?

A: When I was young, like in elementary school, I wanted to teach. I wanted to get a Ph.D.  I didn’t really know what that meant when I was 10, but I went and did it. I’ve been teaching in different environments.  I’ve also taught with Writers in the Schools (WITS).

Q: I actually went there when I was in elementary school for a few years?

A: Great. So I taught with WITS, 3^rdgrade, middle school, so I’ve had a variety of different teaching experiences and I just like working with young people and investing in their future.

Q: Why did you choose to study Spanish while you were at Villanova? Why not another thing that you could teach?

A: I was just telling someone out there.  When I was in college, I went undergraduate school at Loyola University in New Orleans, and when I was there I studied Spanish and French.  Basically, when I graduated I spoke both of them and I really enjoyed French more as a language but I enjoyed Spanish more because of the culture and that sort of thing around it.  When I went to graduate school I was really involved with activism, activist work in Latin America and the United States in the Latino community, so that is why I decided to go that route.

Q: Activist work in Latin America.  Have you been to any countries in Latin America?

A: I’ve been to Puerto Rico, Mexico, Peru.

Q: What work have you done there? Or just visiting the countries?

A: That was the thing.  I visited there, but I felt like there was a disconnect between being from the US and then going there and doing work.  That’s why for the last seven years or so, I’ve worked with the Latin ex(?) community, Latino community in the US and in Houston. I work with writers at lot of times, and in theater, I do a lot of theater work.

Q: Is there anything you would like to add?

A: I’m excited to be here and I hope my students are excited. So far this week has been really good and I think it is going to be a good year.