With the new school year in full swing at Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech), Dragons are happy to welcome not only new students but also new faculty to the campus. Pamela Perez and Marisa Brown have joined the Spanish department at Foothill Tech this school year, bringing enthusiasm, fresh ideas and a passion for teaching to the campus.
Perez is one of the newest additions to Foothill Tech’s Spanish program and is returning to the classroom after taking a break to spend time raising her young children. Before this, she was a Spanish teacher at Hueneme High School, teaching for a little over eight years. Perez chose to teach at Foothill Tech because she believed that the school would help broaden her teaching experience, becoming a place to form new relationships amongst the students and staff. She was inspired to become an educator by her past Spanish teacher, choosing to follow in their footsteps.
Her favorite part of teaching a language is working with the students each week and watching them immerse themselves in the Spanish culture. She believes that the best way to help students learn a new language is to read each piece out loud and break the words down, so the students can understand the pronunciation and grammar. Perez has thoroughly enjoyed her first few weeks at Foothill Tech and feels that all the staff and students have been very welcoming and helpful. She is looking forward to continuing to meet more of the Foothill Tech community as the year continues.
Brown is another friendly newcomer to the campus. From English to Spanish, Brown has taught a variety of subjects throughout her career. Although she is a fresh face to the dragons, her past 23 years of teaching experience shine through with her confidence. “I look forward to sharing my love of the Spanish language with my students this year,” she expressed.
Brown grew up in Ventura, Calif., and is a Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) alumnus. She graduated from Ventura High School and attended Brigham Young University. Her passion for English allowed her to travel around the world, teaching and learning abroad in countries such as Argentina and Israel. Though she left the United States with a focus on English, her knowledge gained in Argentina drove her curiosity for Spanish. Furthermore, her time spent in Israel helped unlock a new interest in history. When she returned to the States, she decided to pursue all three of her newfound passions, majoring in history with minors in Spanish and mathematics.
Overall, Brown is an inspiring and innovative teacher who students feel engaged and inspired by. Her teaching style is intriguing and captivating. Speaking, singing, playing games and drawing — Brown has all bases covered.
As Foothill Tech continues to grow and change, the new addition of teachers helps highlight the importance of cultural diversity and communication. New teachers provide a modern and innovative approach to educating, important characteristics in the ever-progressing world of knowledge here at Foothill Tech.
