A Tour of FLANC’s Teachers Unified for the Future
Committee (TUF)
Keiko Yukawa
TUF (pronounced “tough”) stands
for Teachers Unified for the Future. Started in February 2013, it grew out of
FLANC’s Committee for Young Professionals and Graduate Student Conference
(YPGC). Committed to its work, we created this mission: "As part of FLANC
(Foreign Language Association of Northern California) our mission is to support
and encourage students and teachers to work together for progressive
cross-cultural education."
To better illustrate what we're
about, we organized several activities in 2013, we held a Cultural Potpourri
for world language teachers and graduate students to talk about and demonstrate
our own cultures and to contribute to the discussion of effective teaching
methods; we also held a cross-cultural Lunch Social at the 2013 conference presenting
cultural norms in the context of national holidays.
At this moment, there are six
active TUF members. We'd like to introduce ourselves by answering a few
questions about ourselves.
Marion
Gerlind, Ph.D. (Chair of TUF)
What
languages do you speak? German (mother tongue), English, French, un poco
Spanish, and modern Greek. I also studied Latin, Ancient Greek, and Hebrew at
school and in college.
What
and where do you teach/study? I teach German language, literature, and
culture at the Gerlind Institute for Cultural Studies in Oakland, a progressive
community-based and community-supported education organization which I founded
and have directed since 2006.
Can
you tell us a little about yourself? When I say I teach GerMAN, which is an
exclusive and sexist word and concept, I want to add that I also teach GerWOMAN
at the same time, i.e. I make women in my native language visible by using
gender-inclusive and non-discriminatory forms. It’s quite a challenge since the
imbalance is so pervasive. I enjoy playing with language and transforming it to
a more just means of communication and consciousness. I love to write and read
and am eager to learn more Spanish so that I can visit Spanish-speaking
countries. I also like to keep physically active by practicing martial arts,
hiking, and biking.
What
do you like about TUF? I enjoy getting to know and working with colleagues
from other world languages, whose cultural and ethnic backgrounds are different
from mine. I love to learn about our differences and commonalities and how we
express ourselves on our journeys through life. I marvel at the beauty of each
language and culture without having to travel out of the Bay Area. Because of
our diversity and our desire to work with each other, our collaboration is
always enriching and fruitful. My colleagues’ wisdom inspires me to work
together in our profession as teachers and students. Together, we strengthen
each other and our dedication to teaching. We’ll demonstrate an example of our cross-cultural
learning in our TUF double-session “Inspiring Teachers” at FLANC’s Fall
Conference 2014 at Berkeley Community College.
Any
message to other FLANC members? I encourage each FLANC member to become
active in FLANC, serve on a committee, such as TUF, to strengthen our
organization on behalf of all world language teachers and students in Northern
California and beyond! Dialoguing and working with colleagues from all over the
world is such a rewarding experience by itself, an educational journey without
traveling far away! Come check us out, we’re TUF!
Jasminka/Jasmin
Banic
What
languages do you speak? Spanish, German, Italian, English, Croatian
What and where
do you teach/study?
First, it was only English and German. I graduated from the University
of Osijek, Croatia, with double major in English and German Language and
Literature. My career on the Balkans was very short and mostly colored with all
kinds of nationalistic threats due to the Yugoslav War in the early nineties.
Therefore, when the opportunity came to move to Spain, I went for it with all
my heart.
This is how my
next life came to being: the life of a future "Latina". I studied
Spanish in Barcelona and spent the next seven years mastering my Spanish,
teaching English and German and looking for opportunities to move to Latin
America.
Once again, the
miraculous way of universe (along with my own pushing it a little) brought me
to Costa Rica. That was the "Latina - Part 2" phase. Suddenly
everything was different again: Spanish, people, trees, climate, just about
everything. It was different, lovely, intriguing and challenging at the same
time. I was teaching Spanish in a very prestigious Spanish Immersion School and
running a Touring Agency for the big German wholesalers in tourism industry.
Curiously enough, I started studying Italian in Costa Rica. In the end, I
suppose one could say, that I became a "Triple Latina".
I came to the
Bay Area in 2004. I am currently teaching in "Goethe-Institut", San
Francisco, as well as in several South Bay language schools ("Language
Studies Institute", "Language Arts", "German International
School of Silicon Valley"). The best part of my job are the students and
the people I work with, but also the fact that I have been given the
opportunity to teach multiple languages on a daily basis.
Can you tell us a little about yourself? I love yoga and absolutely
approve of everything in Yogic Philosophy. Equally, I adore salsa dancing.
Salsa is in my DNA.
What do you like about TUF? Everything. Most of all, its members. All of you
wonderful people. The whole TUF/FLANC crew is vibrant with energy, knowledge
and enthusiasm. Both TUF and FLANC members have a deep love for sharing and
contagious interest in making language learning global. That is why all of you
made me feel as if I had been a part of your community since the beginning of
times.
Rosa
Camacho
What
languages do you speak? I'm from the colonial state of Guanajuato, Mexico.
My primary language is Spanish and I learned the English language by living in
the United States for over ten years.
What
and where do you teach/study? I'm currently studying at Sacramento State
University to achieve a Masters degree in Spanish.
Can
you tell us a little about yourself? My hobbies include reading, painting,
yoga, and my newest hobby/devotion is taking care of my ten-month-old baby girl
named Rosalynn.
What
do you like about TUF? The opportunities it offers in bringing a variety of
beautiful cultures and languages together in one place.
Any
message to other FLANC members? Thank you ALL for your support and advice
in my journey in studying to become a teacher some day.
America
Salazar
What
languages do you speak? Spanish and English.
What
and where do you teach/study? I teach Spanish at Calvary Lutheran School
and I will be working on my MA in Spanish at San Jose State University.
Can
you tell us a little about yourself? I was born in the US, but I grew up in
Durango, Mexico. At the age of eighteen, I decided to come back to the US to
study. In the beginning, I wanted to become an English teacher, but after I
took a Spanish class with Professor Zermeno, I realized that I would be more
comfortable teaching my native language. I got my AA in Spanish at Chabot
College and my BA in Spanish at San Francisco State University. Recently, I was
admitted to San Jose State University to continue with my MA in Spanish and
specialize in Linguistics. I enjoy reading, listening to music, and visiting my
favorite city: San Francisco.
What
do you like about TUF? I like how Marion leads us and also the goals she
sets. I like it because everyone’s opinion counts.
Any
message to other FLANC members? Teach on Languages!
Keiko
Yukawa
What
languages do you speak? I natively speak Japanese, and have been studying
English on and off for a long time. Recently, I've started studying Chinese (Mandarin)
to get a different perspective.
What
and where do you teach/study? I currently move around a lot, recently
teaching Japanese at UC Santa Cruz.
Can
you tell us a little about yourself? In starting over again with a new
language after so long, I'm really feeling again how my students struggle.
Learning a new language is tough, but so much fun.
What
do you like about TUF? It's nice to be able to step out of my own corner of
Japanese language education and see language and culture in a broader context
with interesting people.
Any
message to other FLANC members? We don't bite! Please come and join the
group.
Francisco Zermeño
Francisco Zermeño, America Salazar, Rosa Camacho, Keiko Yukawa, Marion
Gerlind
Finally, we'd like to invite all
FLANC members to our presentation at this year's conference. For 2014 we'll be
running an interactive double session where we will present hands-on teaching
tips from Spanish, Japanese, German, and Italian on relevant grammar topics,
including methods using the creative teaching of articles, prepositional verbs,
particles, and adjective endings.
To find out more information
about TUF, including how to participate, please contact Marion at marion@gerlindinstitute.org or
visit us at the TUF blog at: http://teachersunifiedforthefuture.blogspot.com/.
