Heise takes on AP Spanish course

Ashlyn Heise, who became a familiar face last year by appearing in almost every classroom during the year as a full-time building substitute, will have the added responsibility of teach AP Spanish this year.

Heise has studied Spanish and Portuguese as an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota, where she returned as a graduate student in the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences and continued to earn a degree in Hispanic Linguistics. 

Heise said she was inspired by all of her previous teachers, especially her Spanish teachers, but she never really thought about being a teacher until recently when she was in her graduate degree program. Part of her program was teaching to university students, and that is where she first taught Spanish.

Heise described the classroom experience as “completely different being on the other side” and to actually have students of her own, which she especially enjoys.

“Being a teacher is so much more than just standing in front of a class,” she said. “I’ve seen that with other teachers, too, with chapel groups and advisory. Being a teacher means being involved with our students and truly caring for them.”