New Faculty Spotlight: Sra. Schick, Spanish Teacher

Sra.+Schick+is+teaching+Spanish+3+and+Spanish+4+this+year+at+Jesuit.

Matthew Heinsen

Sra. Schick is teaching Spanish 3 and Spanish 4 this year at Jesuit.

Sra. Schick is teaching Spanish III and Spanish IV this year. This will be her 8th year as a teacher. Previously, she taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Chicago, and most recently the University of Portland, which is her alma mater.

“I am a few months away from finishing my doctorate in Spanish Literature,” Sra. Schick said.

In her doctorate, Sra. Schick researches authors and their literature. One of these is an author from Spain.

“I am working on a project about an author from Catalonia in the northeastern part of Spain, so I should be completing that sometime this year,” Schick said.

In her experience, Sra. Schick said the best piece of advice she ever received was age quod agis. Age quod agis, or do what you are doing, means to be present and focused in the task at hand. It is also Jesuit High School’s motto.

Sra. Schick thinks the Jesuit community is a huge part of the experience, both as a teacher and as a student.

“The people are the most special part of Jesuit, the students are exceptional and the faculty and staff is such an amazing community,” Schick said.

Full Interview Transcript (edited lightly for length and content)

How long have you been teaching?

So I have been teaching for about 8 years. I started teaching in 2005 and then I took some time to be with my two young children so I took a small break from teaching and then I got back into teaching.

Where have you taught prior to Jesuit?

So I have taught mostly in college classrooms, mostly working with first and second year college students. I taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Chicago, and most recently the University of Portland, which is my alma mater where I did my undergraduate work.

What classes will you teach this year?

I am teaching Spanish 3 and 4 this year and will be working with the Spanish National Honors Society student.

What excites you about teaching at Jesuit?

I am a 1997 graduate of Jesuit, so for me it is very exciting to come back to campus. The people are the most special part of Jesuit, the students are exceptional and the faculty and staff is such an amazing community. I was lucky to be a part of the community since I was a student here, but it is very exciting to come back to campus and be working directly with the community.

What is something the community should know about you?

I am a few months away from finishing my doctorate in Spanish Literature. I am working on a project about an author from Catalonia in the northeastern part of Spain, so I should be completing that sometime this year.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

I think the best piece of advice I have ever received is something that will probably sound familiar to the people in the Jesuit community which is to be present in what you are doing, so age quod agis. To do exactly what you are doing at the moment. I think a lot of times in our busy world, we tend to worry about things coming up and think about our to-do lists, but I try really hard to be present, and when I am teaching give myself fully and give that time to my students and try to really carry that way of living in the moment into everything that I do.