Abby Arace, Beginning Teachers Chair
French Teacher, New Albany Middle School

The OFLA Beginning Teacher Committee is working hard to connect with new teachers and to support them in becoming excellent, innovative, resourceful, and long-lasting world language teachers. Our goal is to provide a network of resources, strategies, and tools for new teachers. We want new teachers to know that they are not alone and that OFLA is here to help them. To this end, we will be interviewing new teachers throughout the year and highlighting them in The Cardinal. Ann Marie Willis is a Spanish teacher at New Albany Middle School in Columbus, Ohio. This is their 2nd year teaching Spanish.

1. What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?

The best part by far is working with students. Seeing their personalities come out, watching them work together, figure things out, hearing questions of all kinds, having fun with them, seeing them grow academically, socially, and in their character is super fun and rewarding to me.

2. What made you want to teach?

After starting a super exciting job in life insurance, I realized I missed speaking Spanish dearly. I knew that I would lose my ability to speak it unless something changed. I also knew I loved working with students, but I worried about having my own classroom to manage, which would be much different from my experience tutoring a few people at a time when I was a student at Otterbein. I met up with my former Spanish teacher, Celene Burt, who is so, so wonderful and she talked me through a lot of my fears. She, along with many other supportive people in my life, encouraged me to pursue teaching as a career.

3. Who has had the biggest impact on your teaching and why?

So far, it’s been my two mentors from the two different districts I’ve worked in, Allie Weise and Lori McNichols — who, coincidentally, worked together at New Albany Middle School a number of years ago. They have both supported me in countless ways and given me much needed advice about the multi-faceted, ever-changing, unpredictable challenge that is being an effective teacher.

4. What is one thing you learned from another teacher that helped you this year?

The rule of proximity. Staying nearby keeps students on their toes 😉

5. What is a project or lesson in your classroom that you are really proud of or happy with?

I have a lesson from when I was a grad student completing observation hours about prepositions of place, getting around town, and commands that has morphed into a really fun, movement-oriented learning experience that includes a semi-original song and blindfolds. 

6. What is one thing that you have struggled with as a new teacher?

Classroom management has by far been my greatest challenge. There are so many factors that influence the learning environment! I feel like I started back at square one this year since I moved from the high school setting to middle school. Still working on this each day.

7. What advice do you have for new teachers?

Find your marigold(s)! Teaching is hard, especially at the start (the first five years, from what they tell me). Reach out to others and brainstorm solutions to problems you are facing. Collaborate and share creative ideas that can improve your instruction and make your life easier. Don’t try to do it alone!