by Arthur Wilson, fact-checker

After a hectic introductory month, the Spanish classes are finally delving into the language curriculum with the appointment of a new Spanish teacher.

Administration began to review resumes submitted by potential teachers to fill the spot for High School spanish teacher as soon as possible. Demonstration lessons were offered so that students could get a feel for how the potential teacher taught and how the students responded to him.

“Because this position opened after the school year started, it was more problematic than usual to fill. But we got it done, and I believe that Mr. Reff will be a very nice fit here,” principal Mrs. Schneider said.

All Spanish language classes and curriculum were taught by Mr. Vargas in previous years. His unexpected departure during the second week of school in September brought forth a crisis to find a replacement instructor so that students would not be left in a class without work.

Substitute teacher Mr. Orozco was hired to stand-in as a teacher for the Spanish classes for the rest of the month of September and some of October, during which the students gave presentations on Spanish culture.

Having spent two years in Spain learning the language himself, Mr. Reff has accumulated some time teaching language classes. This will be his first full time position as a teacher in the U.S.

“Being an English speaker first, I really know how difficult it is at first for students to eventually take in the language. I hope that experience can help me teach the language, knowing the process of learning it,” Spanish teacher Mr. Reff said.

He communicates almost completely in Spanish, to encourage immersion into the language and to facilitate learning through not only listening, but by speaking and practicing as much as possible.

“I believe that the best way to learn the language is to really try to communicate. In my class, I speak in Spanish as much as possible. Even if you want to go to the bathroom, you have to ask in Spanish. You have to immerse yourself whenever possible to really learn this language,” Mr. Reff said.

Students have taken warmly to the casual approach he adopts to lessons, and welcome his easygoing style in the classroom environment for the year to come.

“He’s very confident in what he does. I can tell he really knows what he’s doing here, and I look forward to working with him to learn more about the language,” junior Amir Mohamed said.