2021 Wisconsin Language Educator’s Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jody Reif Zeimann

WAFLT Distinguished Language Educator Speech

Delivered by Jody Reif-Ziemann at the 2021 WAFLT Fall Online Conference

Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers Awards committee, Executive Board members, WAFLT members, family, and friends. I am honored to be here this evening to accept this award as the WAFLT Distinguished Educator of the year. To look at those who have come before me as recipients of this award is to truly see some of the best of the best in the state of Wisconsin. I am humbled to be included with them.

Confucius once said “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” What a wild ride my years in the field of education have been. I had no idea when I began my career that I would ultimately earn three degrees, spend 43 years (and counting) teaching in Menasha and Berlin, Wisconsin, organize 20 student trips to Mexico, Spain, Peru, and Guatemala, present and co-present sessions at state, regional, and this year, national conferences, and become involved with foreign language education and leadership on the local, state, regional, and national level. Oh, and then add a pandemic in to spice things up! I have been abundantly blessed with teachers and professors, talented, dedicated mentors and colleagues, loving family members, supportive friends from around the globe, and a cherished spouse who has supported and encouraged me through every endeavour I tackled, no matter how crazy it might have appeared at the time. I recall the time I came home beyond excited to take my husband, Dave, along with me on a “long weekend trip to Mexico to spend some time in cemeteries.” I am forever grateful to each and every one of them.

As a life-long learner of Spanish, I have been asked numerous times what it was that led me down this career path. Most of my friends and family thought I was destined to become a band director since my junior high and high school years were filled with flute and organ lessons and classes. As with many of us, it was an influential teacher at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh who saw something in me that I hadn’t even realized was there and pointed me in the direction of foreign language education. I am thankful that I was able to express my appreciation to him many years after I graduated.

While there is a certain amount of effort and work in every job, my years have primarily been filled with relationships, laughter, and the excitement of sharing the Spanish language and culture with my students and watching them grow in their proficiency and ability to communicate with one another. The fulfillment and satisfaction I receive from this profession are the reasons that I have not considered retirement yet. In the future, I look forward to helping prepare a new generation of language teachers as I hope to transition into higher education and work with student teachers and those who are new to the profession.

The first, and in my opinion, most important component of my personal teaching philosophy is that educators need to teach students, not just subjects. While I am passionate about the cultures and dialects of Spanishspeaking countries, ultimately helping students grow to be healthy, happy, kind, responsible, and compassionate young adults is of the utmost importance. The following quote has been attributed to Maya Angelou: “People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” How true this is for all educators in communicating with others. Getting to know students in and out of the classroom and showing them you care about them as people is truly a personal goal of mine every year. Attending athletic events and drama and musical presentations and then recognizing students’ achievements and efforts go a long way in creating relationships with students and fostering a caring atmosphere in the classroom. Including students’ interests, extracurricular activities, families (when appropriate and comfortable for students) in warm-up conversations demonstrates to students that you really see them as valued individuals. It is easy to forget that the safe and friendly classroom atmosphere might be the most supportive time in a student’s day. Along the same lines, sharing information about yourself with your classes allows students to see another side of you beyond the classroom walls. My students can attest to my enthusiasm for international travel and all that it has to offer. I have played in the pit orchestra for musicals for 11 years to support our student vocalists. Students see me in another supportive role and are always appreciative of my participation and the interactions from these productions create some special memories and bonds with students, some of whom I have not ever had in class.

Furthermore, I believe that a teacher should model life-long learning. I shared parts of my PhD journey with my students. I continue to share workshops I give and take to show my classes that learning doesn’t just end when you graduate. We all need to do things to be our best self whether it be classes, seminars, conferences, or just reading a book or watching a movie that opens our eyes to new perspectives. The relationships I have made with other educators from around the globe at national conferences and workshops have helped make me the teacher I am today. It is also important to demonstrate to students that you are doing your part to help them learn and that this often requires the teacher to learn new teaching techniques and create updated materials. Teaching is a career that is never “completed.” There is always something new to try or create. It is exhilarating and sometimes exhausting but always satisfying to the craft of and passion for teaching.

I have made it my mission to lead students to look outside of their comfort zone in a small rural community to the possibilities of “What else is out there?” in the world. Many of my students have never been on a plane before to say nothing of having visited another country. Their study of Spanish has introduced them to other peoples and ways of life and promotes speculation on why things are the way they are. It has also given them insight into music, art, foods, and simply daily routines of other countries. Creating relationships and friendships throughout the world will serve our students well in their future. I saw somewhere that making international bonds with people is one step towards ending wars; you are less likely to declare a war on friends in other cultures. To be a foreign language teacher is to be a part of a body of educators that is unlike any other group. I defy teachers of any other subject matter to demonstrate the extent of passion and dedication to future generations of children that language educators show. We are unique in our encouragement and support for one another. We build our colleagues up and celebrate the large and small successes of one another. We know that our state organization is one of the most active and supportive and I would encourage all of you to get involved and share your expertise with others. Since educators more than many workers “stand on the shoulders of giants,” participation in language organizations is an important part of growing and learning from those who came before us. As teachers of elective subjects and often the only teacher of that subject, language educators can often be isolated from what is going on in their own school, to say nothing about the language profession on the state and national level. Active participation in language organizations allows teachers to embrace what is happening outside of their classroom. Collaboration on and celebration of our craft renews teachers. Whether it be through attendance at conferences, taking online or face-to-face seminars and workshops, or acknowledging successes of others, supporting one another contributes essential parts of what shapes effective teachers.

In closing, I would like to leave you with these words that have served me well over four decades of language teaching: Love what you do and dedicate yourself to doing it well. Education is not a 9:00 to 5:00 job that ends when you turn out the lights for the afternoon. Passion for interacting with students and sharing in their lives and educational journey should be what we embody as teachers. It is my sincere hope that your years in teaching will fulfill you and continue to inspire future generations of learners. Good night and thank you all again.