Rick Tate

Teaching Philosophy

 Important skills I want to teach my students

As a Spanish teacher, I feel that the most important skill I can teach is how to confidently create with the language in authentic situations. Whether students use Spanish in business, travel, community service, personal enrichment, or just to gain empathy for others, what matters most is the ability to communicate whenever needed in unexpected situations. This requires patience, creativity, curiosity, and a foundation of essential communication skills including speaking, listening, reading, and writing in the language.

Teaching methods to reach these goals

I use a proficiency based approach in which students are gradually exposed to more and more complex levels of language use through immersive comprehensible input (conversations, stories, songs, passages, situations) and then are encouraged to experiment with language production by taking risks, learning from mistakes, and challenging themselves at higher levels.  I try to root activities in authentic situations which will be helpful to students in their future lives.

My favorite projects

These change every year, but I love the projects (skits, travelogues, filmed stories, music videos) in which students get to create and refine with the language.

What I like best about teaching at Seven Hills

The personal relationships I’m able to develop with both colleagues and students. We’re the perfect size for truly knowing all members of the community as individuals and learners, and I love seeing people thrive in their strong areas and grow through challenges.