Spanish teacher Nicole Burtch explained her life and her life as a teacher.

Q:
 When did you begin teaching at  Penn-Trafford?

A:  I began teaching at Penn-Trafford in 2014. 
And before that, I was at Baldwin High School since 1999.

Q: How would I describe yourself? 

A: My personal persona is very different from my teaching persona. In real life, I am really shy and awkward. 
I’m very introverted. But, when I’m teaching, I’m the exact opposite. When I’m teaching, I feel happy and energetic and alive and weird. Well, in both realms, I’m weird.

Q: Did you always imagine yourself as a teacher? 

A: Yes. 
My mom was a third grade teacher at West Mifflin and she would bring me into her classroom starting when I was seven. She would have me decorating bulletin boards. Then by the time I was around 11, I was giving spelling tests and grading papers. 
And so, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, but I did not know I wanted to be a Spanish teacher until high school.

Q: Do you have any hobbies? 

A: Yes.  
I play chess. I snowboard, I also ski, but I like snowboarding better. I make art. I like doing weird stuff, like putting together puzzles. 
I love riding my bike. I love bowling. I go to the gym. I love traveling. 
I love to scuba dive. 
 I just love everything. There’s nothing I am not willing to try. 

Q: What is your family like?

A: My family is really weird. My husband’s a librarian, so he is the exact opposite of me in professional life. My kids are a kind of combination of me and him. We all get along really well. We love doing things together. They are my favorite people to be with.

 

Q: What is your favorite and least favorite thing about teaching? 


A: My favorite thing about teaching is the students. My least favorite thing is grading papers.

Q: How is your relationship with your students? 

A: My students are my children; I love them.  I really want to support my students and make sure that they love Spanish, they love being in class, and they want to be lifelong learners. They don’t have to be good at it. I just want them to like being in the class, like being in Spanish. 

Q: How does your style of teaching reflect on your personality? 

A: 
It is weird. 
Everything that is in my classroom is there because if I am bored at school, then my students are bored. 
So all of those things make it fun for me, which make it fun for all of us. Plus, I needed a place to bring all my children’s old toys. 

Q: 
What clubs do you sponsor? What led you to sponsor them?

A: I’m the advisor for the NHS. I sponsor the chess club and art club. I’m the girl’s varsity bowling coach. I sponsor Aspiring Grandparent’s club. I sponsor them because they’re all things I love to do. 

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: I also lead student trips. We are going to Argentina this summer and there are still spots available. We have traveled to Costa Rica, Peru, the Dominican, and, if people are interested in going on a trip with me and Señor [Patrick] Flynn, all they have to do is email me to let me know.