HBR welcomes Ms. Chapman
Hello! My name is Ann Chapman, and I became a Royal this past August when I took on the role of teaching Spanish I, II, III, and IV at the high school. I appreciate and am excited for the opportunity to introduce myself.
I come to the HBR community from Quincy, IL where I was teaching Spanish at the high school level. In the past months, several students have asked me what prompted me to move up north. The answer is that northern Illinois has always been the place I consider home. It is where my family is and where I grew up. After high school, I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I studied Spanish and psychology. I especially took interest in psycholinguistics and studying how humans develop language. After college, I spent some time teaching English in Spain. It was an experience that ultimately inspired me to go back to school for teaching. I moved to Vermont where I received my teaching degree and fell in love with what was my first taste of working in a small town.
One of my favorite parts about teaching Spanish at HBR is being able to learn more about students. It’s a communicative class in nature. While asking “¿Cómo estás?” probably won’t elicit much more than a “bien,” asking in Spanish what a student is going to do after school proves to be more insightful. It is through these daily conversations that I have come to see the vast range of interests, hobbies, and talents here at HBR. Despite the challenges Covid-19 presents, students continue to seek out opportunities to learn and grow.
Starting at a new school during a pandemic was intimidating, but I could not have felt more welcomed by the students, families, and staff here. The past six months have been full of challenges and rewards. I am excited for what is yet to come.
