BY LYNNE INOUYE AND ALAINA INOUYE
STAFF WRITERS
Señora Guerra, the new spanish teacher, is returning to MSA after her retirement from the school some years ago. “When I first got here, back in 1999, I think there was 180 students…it’s gotten bigger and technology has changed a little bit,” she explained, when asked about the changes to the school. “I’m familiar with the environment; I’m familiar with the procedures, and one of the good things is that you still use Skyward and […] that’s what we were using when I left.”
Señora Guerra arrived at MSA a little later, as she was helping with her granddaughters in California. “I have two,” she said. “My older one’s name is Scarlett, and she’s five and just the most adorable little girl…she loves Kindergarten, loves to read. And my little one, newborn, was born August 8th and is really, really sweet. Her name’s Aurora. Scarlett wants to carry her all the time,” she laughed. “I miss them…I talk to them almost every day.” Señora Guerra had been in California for the past three months to help take care of her grandchildren before she was presented with the opportunity to return to our school.
Mr. Whalin acted as a long-term sub in her absence to the 7th and 9th graders. She feels right at home at MSA, despite the late start, however. “All you students are just wonderful,” Señora Guerra said, “…You want to learn, and that makes teaching so much easier!” When asked if she knew of differences in students from then to now, she thought for a moment. “Maybe a little tougher now,” she said, “ because there’s so many more students…Classes are a little bit bigger, but I think the main respect still holds here.”
Señora Guerra really loves teaching. If she wasn’t a spanish teacher, however, she would have liked to have been a physical therapist. She’s also interested in French, Portugese, and Chinese as languages if she could speak another language fluently. Her favorite places to travel to are Mexico, England, France, Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany. Her favorite book is Goodnight Moon because she loves to read to her grandchildren. Also, if she could live anywhere she would live in Mexico if it was safe, because they have the customs she grew up with. Senora Guerra said that her favorite food is ̈…Chicken enchiladas, with the green sauce.” She currently has no pets besides a fish. “I used to have a yellow lab, and a black lab, and a cat, a black cat, but they’ve all gone over the rainbow.” However, she is taking care of her son’s dog, Gismo.
We also asked her about what it is like to be away from her family. “[It is] very difficult… I have one here and that’s great, but it’s really hard, and my granddaughters, I just miss them- I feel like I’m glued to them, but I talk to them almost every day.”
Finally, we asked what she did while she was retired, and she said that other than spending time with her grandchildren she danced. “I dance in a dance group- it’s a Mexican folk dance group, and I’ve done it for many, many years…We danced professionally all over the city.”
We hope you learned something about Senora Guerra!
Image from: https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/teaching-careers/spanish-teacher/