Spanish teacher Maritza Sloan

SLOAN CONNECTS CULTURES

ABOVE: Sloan explains a new assignment to her students. She aims to make her classes engaging for students so they can expand their Spanish understanding. “When you learn a language you are also learning about the culture of that language.” Sloan said. (Photo by Grace Hensley)

Teacher Maritza Sloan bridges Spanish and English languages

ABBEY CARRICO

features staff

In the Payne County Youth Center in Stillwater, Okla. residents play games, do chores and await relocation to stable homes. This is the facility that sparked Maritza Sloan’s Spanish teaching journey.

After arriving in the U.S., Sloan worked at the youth center, ensuring a safe enviornment for the children while teaching them about Spanish language and culture. Sloan decided to pursue Spanish education as a teacher and broaden her scope of impact between cultures.

“In education and globally, [language] is very important,” Sloan said. “One of the bridges that really connects language and learning [is] when you learn about why people do what they do.”

Sloan is the only member of her family who lives in the U.S., with the rest of her relatives residing in her home country, Costa Rica. To stay close to her roots while activley influencing students, Sloan incorporates mentions of her family in her classroom.

“I tell my students, ‘When you speak Spanish, think of my mother in the class listening to you,’” Sloan said. “A lot of the time [my mother] is an important member of my classroom because I always make reference to my family.”

Besides connecting her students to Spanish culture through personal references, Sloan works to create a specific learning environment. Her classroom is actively engaging and works to incorporate and bridge her student’s understanding.

“You’re not going to get out of class without saying something, and I think she likes it that way,” senior Anna Reis said. “She pushes her students to do their best.”

Through Spanish National Honor Society, Sloan focuses on communication between cultures with her students. She works with the members, including senior President John Yeldham, to coordinate meetings and oversee events.

“As president, I enjoy working with Señora Sloan because she has goals for the society,” Yeldham said. “She’s very motivated and wants the society to be impressive in the Ladue community and also in the National Spanish Honor Society community.”

Through helping members of the society, Sloan is able to guide them to a deeper understanding of Spanish. However, members of the society aren’t the only people expanding their cultural knowledge; Sloan is actively pursuing a doctorate of education in social justice to incorporate its values into her classroom.

“Incorporating social justice in our classes is something that we all have to do and should be doing in our lesson plans,” Sloan said. “I feel like it’s very important, not only in the foreign language field but in many other subjects. ”

Sloan aims to connect her passion for Spanish culture with her students and the school. She recognizes the importance of other cultures and learning values from different types of people.

“One country, many voices,” Sloan said. “[Once] you learn how to speak another language and communicate with people from those countries, the impact of your conversation is so much bigger.” p