Michaela Heller

Spanish Teacher

Appointed in 2007

I was very interested in St. George, as its reputation in the community is stellar. From several different sources, I had heard about the quality of education to be found here. I was honored to have been offered a position with a school with this level of commitment to excellence in education; I knew, at the very least, I wanted our youngest child to enroll here.

As a teacher, I bring my own commitment to providing solid academic preparation in Spanish to the fifth and sixth graders. I know that they are challenged here at St. George in the seventh and eighth grade, and I now know a bit about the rigorous foreign-languages classes our local high-school students face. It is extremely important to me that I prepare my fifth and sixth graders adequately for their future classes in foreign languages. In order to keep student engaged I often break up the routine with drawing, geography, or original dialogue assignments. I have a strong sense of how to introduce and organize material that helps the information make sense to my students. I read about curriculum and education issues when I can and believe that we begin to fulfill God's plan for us when we develop our minds, learning all we need to learn in order to serve Him and each other best.

I am a very blessed mom to three terrific and very different children: a son, Justin, in eleventh grade and daughters Mari, in tenth grade at Antonian, and Kaitlyn, in fifth grade here at St. George. Our family loves to travel, and as my husband works for Continental Airlines, we have many opportunities to fly to places all over the globe. I love to read in my spare time, but my true love is my full-time job as mom.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, Mass Communications, English Regis College (now Regis University), Denver, Colorado, 1981

Professional Experience

• Teacher, Spanish, St. George Episcopal School, San Antonio, TX, 2007-present
• Long-term Substitute Teacher, Middle-School English
• Teacher, Seventh-Grade Literature and Middle-School Spanish, St. Pius Catholic School, San Antonio, TX, 2004-2007
• Teacher Support/Aide, Middle School, Sacred Heart Catholic School, San Diego, CA, 2002-2004
• Part-Time Teacher, Spanish, Pre-K Grade 1, Northwoods Catholic School, Houston, TX, 2000-2002

Certifications, Awards, Associations

• I was the Core Knowledge Coordinator at St. Pius and have attended two of the most recent annual conferences, one here in San Antonio, and one in Washington, D.C.

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