It is so hard for me to choose my favorite teacher because I had so many teachers who impacted my life, but if I had to choose one, it would be my college French professor. I enjoyed French in high school, but I decided to take a French class at University to see if I wanted to minor in it. The first day she entered the class, I knew I was in the right place. She exuded so much joy and love for the French language that it was infectious. She challenged us by only speaking French and very minimally used English. Even though she's a native English speaker, she proved to me that I too could become fluent in another language <3.

If I were to learn another language, it would either be Mandarin or Spanish. I speak a little bit of Mandarin and love the way that it sounds - and I want to learn more. I've also enjoyed learning some Spanish from my students and think the language is so beautiful and fun to use. I can't choose between them.

Being in the French program in college was my favorite language experience. All of the professors were incredible, but the absolute highlight of this experience for me was our ambassador trip to France for 3 weeks. We went to Paris, Normandy, and Bordeaux. In Bordeaux, my classmate and I stayed with a French family in their home for 1 week. It was an eye opening experience for me and one I will never forget. We actually changed the minds of French people into liking Americans!--but speaking their language definitely encouraged them to change their minds.

If money and time was not an object, I would be a back-up dancer for an artist. I'd LOVE to dance for Missy Elliot, Chris Brown, or Tate McRae. I would also hope that my body could handle the stress. Dancing is my forever passion!

My favorite teacher was my first-grade teacher, Ms. Cutler. I remember her bubbly personality and how she helped me come out of my shell when I was very shy as a child. Having such a wonderful teacher in elementary school made it easy for me to love learning, and I had such a positive experience in my early school years.

If I were to learn another language, it would be Taishanese, which is my mother’s dialect. Since Taishanese is similar to Cantonese, I feel I would be able to pick it up more easily and make connections between both languages. It would also help me communicate better with my elders who speak it.

One of my favorite language learning experiences was taking Chinese Mandarin courses at Hunter during my undergraduate studies. I truly enjoyed all my professors, and I appreciated how they created such a welcoming classroom environment. That atmosphere made it easier for me to practice speaking a language I didn’t always feel confident in.

If money and time were not an issue, I would love to work in a spa. I enjoy the idea of helping people relax, and I am drawn to the calm, kind, and unhurried environment that spas provide. (I would also love a spa day for myself!)

I would say that my favorite teacher was my Spanish teacher in high school, Mr. Merino. I remember him having a very calming presence in the classroom. He provided support when needed and didn't make you feel bad for not knowing how to conjugate a verb 12 different ways! He also never raised his voice in class, and everyone respected him, so it never got to a point where he had to.

If I were to learn another language, it would be either Portuguese or Italian. I speak Spanish, and both of these languages are very similar so I think it would be easy to learn. I also really like how both of these languages sound! I have done Duolingo in Italian, but not consistently, which reminds me I should get back to that!

My favorite language learning experience was when I studied Spanish as my minor in college. It was challenging because it was academic Spanish, which I was not really exposed to until then. I was able to read Spanish classics like Pablo Neruda and Don Quijote. It made me appreciate the Spanish language as a whole.

If money and time was not an object, I would have chosen to become a Pediatric nurse. I have always loved working with children and have always found the medical profession interesting and rewarding.

My name is Sasha Useda, and I am in the TESOL K-12 Initial Certification program. This is my 3rd semester at Hunter.

My favorite teacher was my second-grade teacher, Ms. Smith. She was incredibly kind and patient with all of her students, always taking the time to make sure we truly understood our assignments. One of the things I remember most fondly was “Fun Fridays.” If we passed our quizzes, she would treat us to pizza and a trip to the park during lunch. Her classroom was a place where learning felt exciting and rewarding, and her care for each student left a lasting impression on me.

I was just in Italy and I am determined to learn Italian to better communicate with my boyfriend's family. It's similar to Spanish, so I was able to understand, but speaking it is where I need to practice.

Taking Italian in high school was my favorite because the teacher was awesome and really great at teaching us the basics. It was such a great environment!

If money and time were not an issue, I would work in films working behind the scenes. I’ve always loved performing and storytelling. I even have a background in multimedia. It has allowed me to express emotions, connect with others, and bring stories to life. While I chose to become a teacher, I still bring that same energy and creativity into the classroom!

3-If I were to learn another language it would be Italian. I'm actually taking an Italian class this semester, so I'm excited about it. I do not have a specific reason as to why I choose this language, but just that I find it interesting.

4-My favorite language experience is learning the English Language at a young age. I spend so much time especially in elementary school, learning the language. My teachers made it a fun experience for me. It was a bit challenging at first, but very rewarding.

5-If money and time was not an issue, I would prefer not to work at all and just travel and have fun. But I do not really have another job that I would like to do, that is not teaching.

Although I had many amazing teachers in my life, a teacher that always comes to mind is Ms. Christine. She was a teacher I learned from in Kindergarten, and I met her again during my first teaching position as the SEL coordinator of the school I applied for! Even after almost 20 years, she had the same patience and kindness I remembered and cherished, and she became a model for the kind of teacher I want to become. 

I would love to learn German and Japanese! I have an older sister who watched a lot of Japanese films when we were younger and I remember being enamored by how the language sounded. The same goes for German, except I heard it being spoken by this older couple I saw in a bookstore on the Lower East Side and ever since then, I associated the language with that scene. 

My favorite learning experience was from learning English. I came to New York when I was about 9 years old, and started attending public school in Brooklyn. I remember being really enthusiastic about learning English so I can talk to more people, and one of the first phrases I learned to say was “good morning”, so I would greet people by saying “good morning” even during the evening. I was just really happy to learn anything so I can communicate with others. 

If money and time was not an object, I would love to continue teaching early childhood, but I would also own a cafe/select shop to sell things that I enjoy (skincare, makeup, stationary, teas, ect.). I have so many hobbies and interests, so owning a space where I can gather people with similar interests would be so amazing!

2. I have a few favorite teachers from different subjects. Unfortunately, I can’t remember all their names, but I remember them through their teaching moments. For example, I loved the bubbly personality of my high school math teacher. Although she was tall and serious-looking, once she started teaching she felt more like a knowledgeable friend who showed us different ways to approach a problem. Her lectures were always fun and engaging.

3. If I were to learn another language from the very beginning, I would choose Italian. I love the rhythm of the language, and I’m especially drawn to their food.

4. I took Elementary Korean this summer. The alphabet wasn’t too difficult, but pronouncing and telling sounds apart was challenging at first. I spent a whole week just practicing the alphabet, and finally mastering it felt like such an achievement!

5. If money and time were not an issue, I would love to travel everywhere and try different cuisines. I especially enjoy visiting local food markets, eating what the locals eat, and creating a food vlog journal to capture those experiences.

• My favorite teacher was Mrs. Bonfield, my third-grade teacher. She was the most caring and engaging teacher, always devoted to her students. She never gave up on any of us and loved each one equally. A couple of months ago, I saw her at the bank. She recognized me as one of her former students and shared that she had retired last year. I remember the time she took me and two other students to McDonald's because we had received perfect attendance and were recognized as Students of the Month. She was a teacher who did so much for her students.

  
  

• If I were to learn another language, it would be Russian. One thing about me is that I love listening to music, and I listen to a lot of Russian bands. I would like to learn that language so that I can know what the singer is saying.

  
  

• My favorite language learning experience was learning English in ESL. I had an incredible ESL teacher, and she made learning English a fun experience. She would often have us participate in hands-on activities, which were fun.

  
  

• If money and time were not an issue, I would love to own a Mexican bakery or a coffee shop. I really enjoy visiting coffee shops and trying new drinks. Also, I would like to have a cat café, as I love animals, especially cats. Visiting these places is always fun, and my dream is to own one of these spaces.

My favorite, or at least most impactful, teacher was my old high school Latin teacher. The way he taught made me excited about both the content and class itself. We did a lot of projects and group-focused work, which “game-ified” content while also fostering a sense of community in the classroom. It was a very difficult course, but he incorporated making mistakes into the learning process. If you liked language and were into the class, he invested in you no matter skill level.

If I were to learn another language, it would be Arabic. My neighborhood is very diverse especially has a very large Arab population and I hear it daily in the street and businesses. There is not much of a language barrier between people in my neighborhood, but I would be able to better connect with many of my neighbors and use the language frequently.

My favorite language learning experience was when I did a study abroad in St. Petersburg. I was there for a linguistics summer program but had also just come off of taking Russian for a year. I was able to test it out in an immersive setting and make friends to practice it with. Opportunities to practice ranges from ordering shawarma to practicing with teachers. Even being able to hear it constantly has benefits. I would love to go back someday.

If money and time were no object, I would go back to school for a PhD to research and teach linguistics. It’s never too late for something like that so who knows! At the end of the day, I want to be teaching in general regardless.

My favorite teacher was my High School English teacher during junior year. She was really great at facilitating meaningful discussions and making us feel safe. She encouraged us to be creative and think outside the box with our writing, which I really appreciated because I was so used to following a rigid formula catered to state exams.

If I were to learn another language it would be Spanish. I took Spanish classes in High School, but I would love to get back into it. I remember making connections to my home language, Montenegrin, while learning it and identifying similar words and roots. My teachers also taught us about the different cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and that is something I would like to continue learning. I believe language learning is enhanced when you immerse yourself in the culture as well.

My favorite language experience was when I traveled to Montenegro, the country my parents were born in. The time I spent there really helped expand my vocabulary and I also realized how often I mix English and Montenegrin when speaking. I realized that my family made up words that were a mix of both languages that my cousins in Montenegro who were not fluent in English could not understand.

If money and time were not an object, I would have loved to be a professional dancer, preferably for musicals on Broadway.

If I were to learn a language, it would be French. I recently watched a drama, and French sounds beautiful. I also enjoy traveling, and Europe is one of the places I’d love to visit especially Paris. After watching the Olympic opening ceremony, I fell in love with the colors they used; they matched beautifully and left a strong impression on me.

My favorite language learning experience was when I was studying Mandarin as a child. I watched many Chinese dramas to practice my listening skills, and that led to my ongoing love for dramas. Even now, watching dramas has become one of my favorite ways to relax.

If money and time weren’t an issue, I’d love to be a baker and open a tea shop.
I’ve always enjoyed spending time in coffee shops, even though I don’t like coffee, I prefer tea. I want to create a space where people can enjoy that peaceful feeling.

If I could learn any language from the very basic it would be French. I have always thought that French was a very beautiful and unique language, especially because it sounds, at least to my mind, so different from the other Romance languages, despite their lingustic proximity. I also speak Spanish and Italian fluently, so I know I could pick up French with enough exposure and consistent study.

My favorite language learning experience has been learning Italian. I have largely learned (standard) Italian from my trips to Italy every summer for the past 10 years. I tried using DuoLingo to practice it stateside for years, but DuoLingo moves pretty slowly. I can say from experience that full imersion is super effective and can make a world of a difference in how much progress one can make in learning a new language.

If money and time were not an object, I would work to beautify towns and cities across America. I'm very big on clearing our streets and parks of litter and creating spaces for greenery wherever possible. Also, I am a big fan of artistic people who know how to create fantastic murals on the side of, say, a building. I think I channel this from my Italian side.

My favorite teacher is actually my most recent one, in that he affirmed my passions, inspired me when I was uncertain, and encouraged me as I sought my path in life. A year ago, I attended Polish language classes at Krakow's Jagiellonian University in order to fulfill language credits necessary for my degree. I also took a course on Polish history, taught by Professor Jan Lencznarowicz. Throughout the course, the professor noticed my passion of East-Central European history, and devoted a lot of energy to building my self-esteem and encouraging me to maybe one day pursue academic studies in History. While I have still not decided upon that venture, I will never forget the generosity and support I felt from that professor. I hope to offer the same type of guidance and care to my current and future students, in whatever capacity I can.

In addition to English, I also speak intermediate Polish and have a pretty advanced reading ability in that language. My mother was born and raised in Poland, and as a kid and teenager, I would often spend my summer vacations there. This is beyond a doubt my favorite language experience. While I have recent experience taking Polish courses in Poland, most of my knowledge has been gained organically, through family conversation, movies, books, and travel situations. This experience has also cultivated a deep love of Polish history and literature, as well as that of East-Central Europe as a whole.

This experience has also created a fascination in East-Central Europe as a whole, and this has helped me in my budding teaching career, in that many of my students are from the region, especially Ukraine. I find that I am able to easily connect with them, and understand them when they speak. I also have many students from Central Asia and the Caucasus, and I am fascinated by their cultures and languages. If I were to learn another language beyond Polish, it would probably be Russian, since it would help me speak to a large portion of my students. I would also be interested in learning one of the Turkic languages, since a lot of my students are from Central Asia, and this would help me communicate with my fiance's parents (who are from Azerbaijan)

If I were to pursue any career, it would probably be as a History professor specializing in Eurasian studies. I would also be interested in involvement in International Affairs. I am drawn to ENL because I enjoy the diversity and depth of our student body and find it interesting and engaging, possibly a stepping stone to something more in the future.