By Janell Heaton
WP Press: Welcome to West Prairie! Can you tell us a little about your background?
LK: Thank you! I joined the West Prairie staff this year as the new part-time Spanish teacher. Before this, I taught English as a Second Language in another district. I’m excited that Spanish is now being offered here so students no longer have to travel to Macomb to take the class.
WP Press: Why did you choose to major in Spanish?
LK: I actually majored in history and journalism at the University of Illinois. I worked as a reporter for The State Journal-Register in Springfield for 12 years and later taught journalism at WIU. I decided to go back to school at WIU for a second degree in language teaching because I love to travel and learn languages. Teaching a language felt like a fun and meaningful career change!
WP Press: What brought you to West Prairie?
LK: West Prairie had an opening for a Spanish teacher, and it’s close to my home in Macomb. Plus, I have a friend who just retired from here and had wonderful things to say about the school.
WP Press: What are your goals for this year?
LK: I hope to make learning Spanish fun for my students! I’m also planning to start a Spanish Club soon.
WP Press: What do you enjoy doing outside of school?
LK: I enjoy quieter hobbies like cooking and reading—Charles Dickens and Jane Austen are my favorite authors. To relax, I love taking long walks with my family, which I do nearly every day, and I also enjoy swimming.
WP Press: What are your thoughts on the new policies?
LK: Since this is my first year here, I don’t know what things were like before, but I really like the new phone policy. At my previous school, I spent a lot of time competing with phones for my students’ attention, which made teaching stressful. It’s refreshing not to have that distraction here.
WP Press: Do you have a favorite class to teach?
LK: Right now, I’m teaching only Spanish I, but it’s quickly become my favorite! We get to explore music, food, and traditions from other cultures while building language skills. Recently, we learned numbers in Spanish by dancing to salsa music—it’s a fun way to help students remember them!
The West Prairie Press 