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Meet Maureen—a Latin teacher at Miss Porter’s School (CT).
“Teaching a language means sharing a rich mosaic of culture, history, grammar, vocabulary, and communication.”
The Start of a Teaching Journey
I was inspired to be a teacher because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of students. For me, teaching is not only grammar or vocabulary, it is about creating fun and meaningful experiences. With a playful methodology, my classes are more than lessons, they are moments where students enjoy, participate, and feel motivated to learn a new language. What inspires me is to see how these experiences stay in their memory and give them confidence for the future.
Career Highlight
One of the most memorable and fulfilling moments of my teaching career has been seeing my students bring their “Fun 45,” or passion projects, to life. These projects ask them to take the Latin they’ve learned and do deeper research and work to create something imaginative, whether it’s a research paper, board game, songs, artwork, a choose-your-own-adventure story, a comic, reproductions of ancient objects, or even a short film.
The room is always buzzing with energy on presentation day. Students are laughing, asking each other questions in Latin, and proudly sharing work that reflects their own interests and creativity.
Watching them realize that Latin isn’t confined to a textbook, but can be playful, collaborative, and connect with them on a personal level, reminds me why I love teaching. Those projects embody the joy of learning and the confidence that comes from making something uniquely their own that hopefully sticks with them.
ACTFL Educator Spotlight
Need inspiration? We’re featuring the experiences and advice of members!
My favorite part of being an ACTFL member is the sense of community and professional growth it has given me over the years. Since joining in 2010, I’ve had the opportunity not only to learn from incredible colleagues but also to contribute through presenting, participating in the Digital Learning Lounge, and now helping to lead the AI Classroom Corner.
Serving as Vice President of the AI SIG and as a member of the DEI Committee has allowed me to collaborate with educators who are as committed as I am to making language learning innovative, equitable, and impactful.
Receiving the ACTFL/IALLT Award for Excellence in World Language Instruction Using Technology (K-12) in 2022 was an especially meaningful moment, because it reflected the values that ACTFL has nurtured in me: curiosity, creativity, and a commitment to student-centered teaching.
I joined ACTFL because it connects me with a professional community that values language learning and cultural understanding. My favorite part is the opportunity to share and learn innovative practices, and to feel part of a global network of educators who inspire me to grow and keep improving.
As the 2025 DCPS World Language Teacher of the Year, I value spaces like ACTFL that allow me to share, learn, and connect with colleagues who are equally committed to advancing languages and cultures.
Using Languages Outside the Classroom
Languages have been a bridge for me far beyond the classroom. They’ve allowed me to connect with people across cultures, to travel with deeper understanding, and to experience literature, history, and art in their original voices.
Latin, in particular, has shaped the way I think, problem-solve, and see connections between past and present. My Fulbright experience among other Latin teachers deepened this, giving me the chance to live abroad and build authentic connections through language and culture. Archaeology has also brought the ancient world to life for me. Standing in sites where Latin was once spoken and inscriptions were carved has reinforced the power of language as both a historical record and a living communicative link across centuries.
Ultimately, languages have enriched my life by expanding my perspective, creating opportunities for discovery, and connecting me to a global community.
Advice for Next-Gen Teachers
My advice to aspiring or early-career language educators is to embrace both joy and flexibility. Start with the belief that what you are doing matters! Language learning opens doors, builds empathy, and connects students to a wider world. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new strategies, technologies, or approaches. Your classroom should be a space for creativity as much as for grammar and vocabulary.
Find mentors and colleagues who inspire you and lean on the ACTFL community. You don’t have to do this work alone! The one constant in this work is that we can always grow and improve to make the learning process better for us and our students.
Most importantly, remember that students will remember how you made them feel as much as what you taught them. If they feel seen, supported, and challenged, they will thrive. And so will you.
Favorite Word or Phrase in Another Language
One of my favorite words in Latin is fenestra, which means “window.” I love it because it appears in so many layers of meaning—from the comforting saying in The Sound of Music (“When God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.”) to the dramatic history of the Defenestration of Prague.
To me, fenestra represents possibility: a literal and metaphorical opening to new perspectives. Whether in history, literature, or life, windows remind us to look beyond the walls in front of us and to imagine what lies on the other side.
On Teaching a Language
Teaching a language is intentionally weaving together the essence of what it means to be human and connect with others. It is not only about words on a page, but about opening doors to empathy, identity, and connection across time and place.
