Students

Ani Alcocer

Ani is a Spanish instructor at the University of Idaho. She is originally from Guadalajara, Mexico. Ani has been living in Moscow, Idaho since 2009. She teaches elementary to advanced Spanish and a Mexican Culture and politics course at the University of Idaho. She loves to travel and meet people from different backgrounds. Ani also loves to paint and to run with her dog, Apollito. This is her first semester at MSU and is very excited to be part of the MAFLT program.

Verónica Arriaga-Orts

Verónica was born and raised in México, and moved 13 years ago to Pennsylvania with her family. She discovered the love of teaching her language in this country, so decided to pursuit a second career. She has been teaching Spanish for 9 years. Right now she teaches Spanish 1 and 2 to 9th graders.

James Ayres

James has taught Spanish at McKinney Boyd High School for the past 14 years. He learned Spanish while living in Uruguay from 1997-99. He has developed a passion for learning about how language is acquired and tried to incorporate that into his language classroom. When not teaching James is busy with his wife Amber raising five boys. Any other extra time is spent running ultra marathons on the trails. James is very excited and to be a part of the MAFLT program and looks forward to the experience this will provide!

Katelyn Baddeley

Kaitlyn has been teaching for 4 years and currently teaches 8th grade Spanish in Spokane, Washington. Middle school has quickly become her favorite place to teach as every day is full of the unpredictable, hilarious and energy-filled antics her students bring to class each day. When she is not teaching she is probably cooking, experimenting with her sourdough starter, or trying to grow plants. She and her husband love to read, play board games, and explore the hiking trails and lakes around Spokane.

Mary Block

Mary lives in suburban Atlanta with her husband, two teenagers and two dogs. She currently teaches Spanish to 8th-graders, but has taught preschool, high-school and adults. Middle school is her favorite! When she is not teaching and learning, she is running, hiking, cooking, traveling and reading! She has learned so much in the MAFLT program and loves sharing what she has learned with others!

Betty Brown

Betty has taught Japanese at the Arkansas School of Mathematics Sciences and the Arts (ASMSA) since 2017. She has a degree in Japanese Education from Ball State University (chirp, chirp!) where she also studied German and ESL. Before moving to Arkansas, she taught English in Germany through the Fulbright program. In her free time, Betty enjoys knitting, hiking, and spending time with her cats.

Josh Brown

Josh is a high school teacher from Baltimore, Maryland. His received his BA in German and has taught German since 2012, but in recent years has also begun to acquire and teach French. This coming school year he will also begin spreading the joy of the musical language by teaching introductory guitar. He is passionate about language acquisition and teaching and is excited to be in his first semester of the MAFLT program! Outside of work and school, he enjoys biking, gardening, traveling, music, and cooking.

Andrew Burke

Born in San Diego, California, Andrew Burke earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Hispanic Studies from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. With a minor in Latin American History, he completed his studies abroad in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic with a program focusing on Dominican-Haitian relations. Since graduating in 2009, Andrew has taught English in Spain, Chile, and most recently in Colombia with the Peace Corps. In the fall of 2020, Andrew began his first year teaching Spanish at a public school district in San Diego, CA and is excited to join the MAFLT community at MSU.

Kerrah Caballero

Kerrah is currently teaching Spanish I, II, & III at a private high school in Grand Rapids, MI. This coming school year will be her third year teaching Spanish. This is her third class in the MAFLT program and is excited to learn more about FL teaching methods. She completed her undergraduate degree at Calvin College in Spanish K-12 Education and Art K-12 Education. She loves learning about different cultures and is interested in learning more about how languages are best acquired, so that she can best teach her students.

Christy Cheezum

Christy teaches French 1-3 and Spanish 1 at a public high school in rural Maryland. She received her BA in French with minors in Spanish and history from Salisbury University (Maryland). Christy studied publication design at the University of Baltimore and currently serves as co-adviser of the school yearbook club. Outside of school, she enjoys jogging, baking, and reading historical mysteries.

Laura Cordova

Laura graduated from college with a degree in Microbiology & Spanish. After working in the science field for six years and earning a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences, she decided she wanted to teach Spanish. She taught 6, 7. 8 grade Spanish at a Middle School, earned a Master’s in Humanities with a concentration in Spanish literature, and now she teaches introductory and intermediate Spanish at a community college. In her free time she likes to watch movies, read, and go on walks with her greyhound.

Rebecca Diaz

Rebecca Diaz currently teaches high school Spanish in Northwest Ohio. She lives with her husband and 3 dogs in a very small town also in Northwest Ohio and likes to read and be outdoors when she is not teaching or studying. She is a graduate of Bowling Green State University and has lived in Chile and Spain. She enjoys using what she learns in the MAFLT program directly in the classes she teaches and hopes to improve her teaching skills to be a more effective instructor.

Kaleigh Doan

Originally from Ludington, Michigan, Kaleigh is so excited to continue her education in her home state as a Spartan. Kaleigh received her BA from Hope College in English and French Education in 2016. Following graduation, she worked as an English teaching assistant in France, which gave her the opportunity to do two of her favorite things: teach and travel! Kaleigh is currently a high school French teacher in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., where she enjoys sharing her love of language with a very diverse group of students. As a first-year French teacher last year, Kaleigh was honored with her school district’s Outstanding New Secondary Teacher of the Year award. This is her first semester in the MAFLT program; she can’t wait to kickstart her third year of teaching with everything she learns!

Wendy Farabaugh

Salut! Wendy Farabaugh is a French teacher in Mentor, Ohio. She is in her second semester in the MAFLT program, and her fifth year as a teacher. She teaches French one (grades 8-12), and AP French (11th grade). She is currently a moderator of the online twitter chat for language teachers, #langchat. She’s been married to her husband for four and half years, though they met when they were both five years old.

Amanda Ferris

Amanda Ferris teaches Spanish at Coloma Junior High School in Michigan. She graduated from Central Michigan University in 2016 and is excited to start the MAFLT program at MSU spring of 2021. She enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her friends and family. She is eager to learn more about languages and use the knowledge she gains in the classroom.

Mikaela Filson

Mikaela is so excited to be part of the MAFLT program at MSU! She is a High School Spanish teacher in the Denver Metro area with a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and Spanish, and is certified to teach Spanish in both New York and Colorado. She has a passion for languages, and strongly believe that learning another language opens so many opportunities to meet new people, explore new places, and experience new cultures in a meaningful way! She loves to travel, hike with her dog, and read mystery/suspense novels in her free time. She’s also recently developed an interest in making her home more eco-friendly, sharing tips with family, and saving the planet by doing small things everyday.

Trisha Funk

Trisha Funk is a Spanish teacher in Okemos, MI and just completed her 2nd year of teaching. This is her 2nd course in the MAFLT program and she is excited to continue her education in becoming a better Spanish teacher. She completed her undergraduate degree at CMU and is excited that she has the opportunity to be a Spartan as well. Trisha loves engaging her students with interactive games and activities that improve their communicative competence, but also give them confidence speaking the language. Trisha serves as the freshmen class adviser and enjoys building relationships with kids outside of the classroom. In her free time, Trisha loves to read and spend time with friends and family.

Shyann Gilkey

Shyann Gilkey is a Spanish Teacher from Lansing Michigan, currently residing in Atlanta Georgia. She is an Alumna of Michigan State University, where she earned her B.A. in Spanish, and a minor in TESOL. She first volunteered to teach in Peru, before deciding to become a High School Teacher in Atlanta, where she has taught the past 8 years. She currently teaches Spanish II, III, and IV, but has taught all levels, including AP. Shyann is most excited to explore the relationship between socio-economic factors and SLA. Outside of education, Shyann loves to sing, write music, and travel.

James Goetschius

James is currently teaching Italian 1, 2-3, 4 and AP at Lenape High School in Mount Laurel, NJ, a suburb of Philadelphia. He received his BS in International Business and Minor in Italian from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). He became a certified Italian teacher through New Jersey’s Alternate Route program in 2016. When he is not teaching Italian or travelling to Italy, James is passionate about cycling, meteorology, rooting for the Nets and Yankees, and spending time with his family and friends. He is excited to start his first semester in the MAFLT program.

Chelsea Gordon

Chelsea Gordon currently lives in Hokkaido, Japan, and is following her dream: teaching English in Japan to about 200 kids, from first grade to twelfth! Hailing from a tiny town in Connecticut, finding the rural mountains of Hokkaido is an adventure everyday. Not only does she teach English, but as the only foreigner, she is a cultural ambassador for her town. In her free time, she enjoys traveling around Hokkaido, writing, reading and studying Japanese. She misses her dogs very much, but skypes with them almost every day. In the last year, she got TESOL certified.

Toni Stillman Greer

Fall 2020, Toni enrolled in her 5th MAFLT course. She is a graduate of Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, 1998. She majored in International Studies, with a minor in Japanese Language. Upon completing a study-abroad program at Kansai Gaidai, Osaka, Japan in 1997, she returned to a successful career in the private sector. Now, at age 60 years, Toni is excited about her new career path to becoming a foreign language teaching. She is married to Alfred William Stillman, Jr. and resides in Saucier, Mississippi (Gulfcoast) and Hawaiian Gardens, CA. As a volunteer, she teaches Japanese to cohorts throughout the year and attends language schools during summer. Her free time includes nature walks, playing the piano, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Teryn Henderson

Teryn is a high school Spanish teacher in Holt, Michigan and is in her third year of teaching through continuous learning. Teryn is in her second course in the MAFLT program and is excited to continue her education! Teryn is also certified to teach English to speakers of other languages and overall has a passion for languages and language-learning. Teryn completed her undergraduate degree at Michigan State University and is thrilled to be a Spartan again. Teryn is also one of the cheerleading coaches at her school and cheered for the all-girl team at Michigan State University during her undergrad.

Jenelle Henry

Jenelle was born in Georgetown, Guyana. She studied Modern Foreign Languages at the University of Guyana. She lives in Philipsburg, St Maarten which is a small island in the Caribbean. From 2002 she has been teaching Spanish and French to predominantly English speakers at a high school called Milton Peters College. Her students are between the ages of 12 and 19 years. She is in her fourth semester of the MATFL program at MSU. She is enlightened with all of the different strategies and techniques she has learnt this far. Her students are definitely benefiting from the new knowledge she has acquired thus far. She loves to cook travel and spend time with her family.

Mahlon Kester

Mahlon has gone through one semester of the MAFLT program already and he loves it! He very recently got married to his beautiful wife and he also just graduated from Basic Training for the Air Force. It was a great experience, but he is extremely happy to be back at it learning more about foreign language teaching. He can’t wait to learn about the technological aspect of it since a lot of today’s world uses technology now. There are definitely many opportunities to be explored!

Grace Kim

Grace majored in Applied Linguistics at UCLA. Right after graduation, she moved to Bogotá, Colombia to teach English at a private university while also learning Spanish. Currently, she lives in South Korea, teaching English to middle and high school students. Other than teaching, she has done a lot of interpreting and translation work with English, Korean, and Spanish.

Jenna LaVecchia

Jenna grew up in New Jersey and got her bachelor’s in Spanish and Secondary Education from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania, where she was able to travel abroad to Spain. She lives in Milford, Connecticut and loves to travel. She traveled all Spain last summer! She’s in her 5th year of teaching Spanish in an urban pre-k-8 school. She’s taught Kindergarten and grades 3-5, but grades 6-8 are by far her favorite, and what she’s currently teaching. She not only loves teaching the language, but also teaching music and culture!

Laura Lopez

Laura has taught Spanish to PK3 through 8th grade for the past 7 years in WI and IL. She went to Dartmouth College for her undergrad where she majored in Linguistics and minored in Latin American Literature. She has studied in Mexico, worked in the Dominican Republic, and has family in Puerto Rico. She loves being with her family, hiking, camping, cooking and eating chocolate! She is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the MAFLT community (since Spring 2021) and to continue to grow as a language teacher.

Agnieszka Makles

Agnieszka was born in Poland where she received an MA in pedagogy and was trained to be a teacher. Currently she lives in New York. She teaches Polish and is involved in learning Russian. She is a co-founder of the Texas Polish Dialect Project at the University of Texas at Austin, that is focused on researching Polish language spoken in Texas and documenting it. Fall 2019 is her first semester in the MAFLT program. In her free time she enjoys hiking, yoga and reading.

Anna Rose Moore

Anna has taught Chinese Immersion in a public elementary school in Utah since 2013. She began studying Chinese in high school and went on to earn a degree in Chinese at Brigham Young University. She loves teaching children with games and stories. Her top bucket list item is to visit every province and administrative region in China; twelve down, twenty-two to go!

Eda Morlock

Eda is currently a K-4 Title 1 Reading teacher in Brainerd, MN. She has just completed her 8th year teaching; 3 in Title 1 Reading (English), 4 in Spanish Immersion (Grades K and 4), and 1 in a bilingual school in Mexico. This is her second class in the MAFLT program and she is looking forward to learning more about methods as she sets plans in motion to start a Spanish program in her elementary school in the near future. She studied Spanish, Elementary and Secondary Education at Luther College in Decorah, IA and added a K licensure through Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. She is passionate about acceptance and understanding across cultures and strives to grow lifelong learners that are excited and curious.

Charlotte Nevin

Charlotte Nevin is an aspiring German teacher from San Diego, CA. She earned her BA in Modern Languages from Northern Arizona University in 2016, writing her capstone project on her original English translations of selected poetry by Hilda Stern Cohen. Since 2018, Charlotte has worked as a flight attendant for a major airline while planning a transition into the field of education. She is extremely excited about everything that she has learned in the MAFLT program, and looks forward to a lifelong career in language teaching. In her spare time, Charlotte enjoys journaling, cooking, reading poetry, and growing her CD and book collections.

Cassidy Taylor Ott

Graduated from Mount Union with University Spanish and Education degrees, Cassidy is a 4th year high school Spanish teacher. She stays busy while teaching all four levels and coaching year-round. She’s in her 3rd semester of the MAFLT program and is excited to continue learning about the field of second language teaching. Aside from work, Cassidy enjoys spending time with her fiancé and family, running, traveling, and rooting for Cleveland sports.

Maria Pia Pallero

Maria is an English Language Teacher from Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. She has been teaching English as a Foreign Language at elementary, middle, and high school since 2009. She has also been an ELT Pedagogy and Didactics professor at Pamiro Bogliano Teacher Training College, since 2011. She also teaches Language and Speaking III – part of the ELT Training Course – at the above-mentioned institution. During the 2015-2016 Academic Year, she became a Spanish instructor in the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania after being awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. As part of this scholarship, she also studied FLT Methods and American Literature. Back in Argentina, she became a Specialist in Social Educational Practices at the National Central University of the Province of Buenos Aires.

Drew Peterson

Drew is originally from Franklin, Tennessee in US, but has been living with his wife and two cats in Lima, Peru since 2016. He teaches ESL at the primary and secondary level in Lima, and Peruvian Spanish online. He is especially interested in using comprehensible input methods in the classroom and furthering his knowledge in second language acquisition. When he isn’t teaching, he loves to travel with his wife, learn German, practice jiu jitsu, and try many of the great restaurants in Lima.

Megan Leigh Peterson

Megan was born and raised in Northern California where she has also been working as a high school Spanish teacher for the past five years. She graduated from the University of California, Davis with degrees in English and Medieval and Early Modern Studies. Having taught at both the middle and high school levels, she’s excited to jump into MAFLT and continue to grow teaching second languages to her students. In her spare time, she coaches volleyball and loves to spend time with family and friends.

David Sceggel

David grew up in Peoria, IL and got his BA from Illinois State University. He taught one year in London, England, four years in Normal, IL, he spent two years in Sonora, Mexico as a ‘houseparent’ in an orphanage, and he has worked the last nine years in a rural school outside of Peoria, IL teaching TPRS/CI Spanish as the only world language teacher in the district. He married his wife in 2009 and they have two kids under the age of 5. He likes playing musical instruments, hiking, reading, and traveling.

Kari Seymour

Kari is a middle school Spanish teacher in Dayton, Ohio. In 2018, she graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in Spanish Education. During her time at Ohio Wesleyan, Kari traveled to Salamanca, Spain where she completed her study abroad experience at la Universidad de Salamanca where she loved to explore the city, especially the croissant shop. Kari looks forward to developing as an educator and connecting with other language teachers through the MAFLT Program. In her free time, Kari enjoys spending time with her family and dog, baking, and swimming.

Kaitlyn Spires

Kaitlyn graduated Clemson University with a BA in Spanish and International Trade. During college, she moved to Córdoba, Argentina to immerse herself in the Spanish language and culture. She is currently teaching at her alma mater, York Comprehensive High School. When she is not teaching, she can be found at 36,000 feet, working as a flight attendant.

Edward Stanko

Edward is a San Diego native, and has been a Spanish teacher in San Diego for more than 10 years, mostly with San Diego Unified School District. Having grown up around the Spanish language, and surrounded by his family’s rich Mexican culture, Edward had many years of language input before formally starting his Spanish studies as a freshman in high school. He is committed to proficiency-based teaching methods and pedagogy. When not teaching, Edward enjoys browsing in used bookstores and enjoying new coffee houses throughout San Diego.

Meghan Turske

Meghan is currently going into her second year of teaching, and will be teaching German grades 6-9. She went to Michigan State University for her undergrad, where she studied German and TESOL. She is looking forward to seeing how her teaching will improve from what she learns over the course of the program.

Melanie Vander Ploeg

Melanie is a Second Grade Spanish Immersion Teacher in West Michigan. During her undergraduate years, she completed two semesters abroad: first, in Arequipa, Peru, where she absolutely loved the community and the Andes Mountains; and later, in Oviedo Spain, where she enjoyed volunteering in a second grade classroom. In her free time, Melanie enjoys running and windsurfing. She also likes to cook with her husband, Robert, who is the better cook. Melanie kicked off 2021 by starting her first semester in the MAFLT program at MSU!

Frank VanPelt

Frank lives in Grand Rapids Michigan. His first semester in the MAFLT Program was the Summer 2020 Methods course. He studied in Spain, Mexico, and Chile and loves to travel. He taught as an adjunct professor at Grand Valley State University (his alma mater) and occasionally substitute teaches K-12. He is currently working full-time at an industrial bakery he refers to as the “United Nations of Bread Baking” while working on his graduate degree. His goal is to acquire the MAFLT degree and teach during the autumn of his life. Frank also enjoys gardening, camping, and participating in musical theater.

Kristi Waite

Kristi is a French teacher at a high school in Vermont. She grew up in Vermont, attended high school in New York, and went to college in Arkansas. After graduating from Harding University in 2008, she worked as an English language assistant at Lycée St. Just in Lyon, France. In 2009, she returned to her home state of Vermont and began a career sharing her passion for French language and culture with American students. She has taught French at several secondary schools around the state and has been at Bellows Free Academy since 2013. She enjoys listening to Québécois music and traveling to Montreal and Québec City.

Letitia Wang-Moore

Originally from Taiwan, Letitia currently lives in Virginia. She taught English to native Chinese speakers and Chinese to visitors to Taiwan while she was living there. She also worked at a language learning materials publishing and franchising company. The experience of working there made Letitia become even more interested in language teaching and learning. She has taught English and Chinese to learners of all ages for 20 years, and is currently a Mandarin instructor for Johns Hopkins University and a freelance translator. She enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family.

Tracie Whiting Kipper

When Tracie was a college freshman she began teaching Japanese to high school students in 1989 on a television educational program through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She worked for the Japanese government for 10 years; first assigned to the Nagano Olympic Committee and then the Consulate General of Japan at Kansas City. In 2008 she became the Japanese Language & Culture Lecturer at the Kansas City Art Institute. She lives in a multi-lingual home with her husband, James, who grew up in Mexico, her two middle school daughters who love learning languages their parents don’t speak , and a strong rotation of exchange students.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/traciewhiting/

Patricia Wyza

Patricia Wyza is currently a Spanish teacher to grades 3-5 in Pontiac, Michigan. She is going on her third year teaching and she is in her second class in the MAFLT program. She completed her undergraduate degree in Spanish K-12 education, as well as a minor in ESL, and a Spanish translation certificate through Oakland University. She is excited to continue her education to become a better Spanish teacher. She likes to use authentic resources, and promote vocabulary acquisition through interactive games and activities. She also coaches the Color Guard and Winter Guard for her high school. She enjoys traveling, learning about new cultures, as well as attending sports games and hanging out with friends.

Makiko Yamamoto Border

Born and raised in Japan, Makiko moved to the U.S. as an adult. She went back to school wanting to contribute to her children’s education. While homeschooling, she majored in linguistics at UNC, where she found her passion of becoming a Japanese teacher. Having acquired English as an adult, Makiko understands how learning another language can profoundly enrich one’s life experiences. She wants to help others experience the joy of seeing a new world through language, and is excited to start the MAFLT program in Spring 2021. She believes the program will equip her with the skills and qualities to realize her dream.

Not Yet Pictured

If you are a Current Student and you would like to be pictured here, go to the MAFLT Community in D2L to submit your headshot and bio. If you would like to edit or update your bio or headshot, please send them to maflt@cal.msu.edu.

Madeline Alford

Jason Berrey

Brittany Brenner

Mari Brito

Katherine Byrne

Miaomiao Cui

Jaime Danks

Carolina Diaz Palacio

Isabella Dolehanty

Amy Driskell

Jessi Falcon

Aisha Garged

Yoshiko Himata

Yuriko Ishida

Matt Johnson

Petra Jones

Mireille Maalouf

Katelyn Maher

Izumi Olsen

Cassidy Ott

Kent Pendery

Amanda Rich

Pablo Rocha-Vazquez

Eriko Takahashi Best

Sara True