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closePROFILES IN EDUCATION: XINIA AGEE
GH Academy teacher brings culture, enthusiasm to Spanish class
Paige Richmond
of the Gateway
Xinia Agee knows what it’s like to learn a new language. The 42-year-old was born in Costa Rica and moved to the United States when she was 27, with very little knowledge of English.
At the time, she was working as a counselor at a camp for at-risk youth in Missouri, where many of the students were immigrants from Puerto Rico who spoke Spanish as their first language.
Agee learned English from her husband, who was the camp’s director at the time. They’ve been married for 15 years.
Two years ago, the couple moved to Gig Harbor with their three children, and Agee began to teach Spanish at Voyager Elementary School. She went on to teach at Artondale Elementary before she joined Gig Harbor Academy last year.
Now, she teaches Spanish to preschool through fifth-graders.
She spoke with the Gateway about how to create enthusiasm among younger students by teaching both Spanish culture and language.
Peninsula Gateway: What challenges did you face when learning a new language?
Xinia Agee: It’s funny: For me, I learned the language from my husband. Just because I was with him all the time, I learned his pronunciation and accent. The difficult part for me was when I was without him and I had to talk with other people. And, oh my goodness, they were so fast for me, and I tried to keep up and everything, and I have to admit, it was hard. But I was so excited. I loved the language, and I had to learn it.
PG: How do you feel learning a different language has affected you as a teacher?
XA: I went through what the kids are going through. But I didn’t have as much frustration, because I was taught by someone I loved, and who loved the language and loved his country, so I was willing to learn. That helped me a lot when I go to the classrooms. And it’s not that hard, because the kids love to learn the Spanish. They are like sponges — they absorb everything so fast.
PG: Is it easier to teach language to younger students than adults?
XA: It’s so much easier when they are little. We use a lot games, a lot of songs — I walk through the classroom while I speak the language ... I met this girl from (a local) high school — she was helping me with the class — and she speaks (Spanish), not even with an accent. I asked he how she learned, and she said she learned when she was in preschool or in kindergarten. She learned to love the culture, (so) she learned the language.
PG: How do you measure your success as a teacher?
XA: When I ask them something and they respond in my language. And I can see they love the language, and not because I am forcing them. Sometimes, they come to me and they say, “Where is Costa Rica? I don’t know if you celebrate Christmas in your country, but I celebrate Christmas.” Stuff like that — it makes me know that they want to know.
PG: What is a common misconception you think people have about your jobs?
XA: That Spanish is boring and complicated. People think, “Why would I need to learn this language when, first of all, I’m in this country and I don’t need it?” That’s not the way that I teach it. It can be fun, and that’s my goal in here. It’s great to teach this age of kids, because ... they’re going to immerse in the language easily. Somebody might get frustrated in the beginning, but eventually they say, “That’s not hard, it was easy.”
PG: What interested you in becoming a teacher in the first place?
XA: I had this great opportunity two years ago when someone said to me, “Would you like to teach Spanish (at Voyager Elementary)?” And I thought, “This would be a great experience.” Kids are just having fun, and they’re playing — and while they are playing, they’re learning. I teach pre-kindergarten, and I have been teaching them a song I learned when I was little that my dad used to sing to me. And I think to myself, “This is great. I love what I’m doing.” It’s like another door has opened for me.
Suggest a teacher
Do you know a teacher on the peninsulas you’d like to see profiled in The Peninsula Gateway? Suggest them for Profiles in Education, a new feature on the Schools page. Once a month, a teacher or administrator from any public or private school in the area will answer a series of questions about their experience in education. E-mail your suggestions to paige.richmond@gateline.com.