Teacher Profile—

New Teacher Shares Her Love Of Spanish

By Tanjua Damon

Newtown Middle School has a new foreign language teacher who is ready to serve the students’ inquiring minds.

Desiree Gonzalez is a new Spanish teacher at the school. She enjoys middle school because the children are impressionable and eager to learn something new.

“They are so excited. It’s the first time they are introduced to the language,” she said. “They really get into it. They get happy and excited over being able to speak a couple of words.”

Mrs Gonzalez came to Connecticut from California were she spent ten years teaching high school. She taught at New Milford Middle School last year in the English Department. But her love for Spanish brought her to Newtown schools.

“My passion is Spanish. I was impressed with the middle school children,” Mrs Gonzalez said. “When this job opened I applied because I love the middle school and I love Spanish.”

Being able to impact students’ lives through foreign language in one reason Mrs Gonzalez is excited about the middle school.

“To the kids you are opening a brand new door,” she said. “A brand new world.”

She is enjoying the Newtown schools and the support she has received.

“Newtown is a really nice town. The kids seem to be very well prepared,” Mrs Gonzalez said. “There is a lot of parent support here. My colleagues, Dr Reed, and the administration are all very nice and have supported me. The have helped me out. It’s been a really positive experience all around.”

Mrs Gonzalez lives in New Milford with her husband and son. She was born in Mexico and came to the United States to attend college.