Pre-pandemic you may have found Señora Schroeder roaming Wilson Hall’s third floor before returning to her class off of the Big Room. Now, she resides in Virtue Village. Soon, she’ll be home, taking online classes from Temple University as she completes her Ph.D. in Spanish.
This isn’t Mrs. Schroeder’s first time departing Haverford. Back in 2014, she was a language teacher in the upper school for one year. Since returning in 2018, she has noticed many improvements during the four years she was gone.
“I think the school is doing a great job in educating the faculty and giving them resources with diversity training and support groups, so we can respond to what’s happening in the world today,” Mrs. Schroeder said.
“I will definitely miss her, and I anticipate myself moving forward in life with a greater love for learning because of mentors like her.”
Ryan NGO ’21
Even though her time at Haverford has been relatively short, Mrs. Schroeder has made a large impact on the students who have come through her Spanish classes.
“I’ve never felt nervous or hesitant to ask her a question in her class and that relationship clicked extremely quick,” said Sixth Former Ryan Ngo. “I will definitely miss her, and I anticipate myself moving forward in life with a greater love for learning because of mentors like her.”
A recurring theme from students on Mrs. Schroeder’s teaching style was how engaging it is. They talk about her ability to teach information in an exciting and approachable way.
“I love what I do. I love what I’m teaching, I love teaching in general, and I love the students here,” Mrs. Schroeder said. “I think that when you really are passionate about something it energizes you and makes you do your job better.”
Deciding to pursue her Ph.D. in Spanish was a tough decision for Mrs. Schroeder, but it’s been a long-term goal. She considered staying for an extra few years when studying for her master’s at Georgetown but felt it would be a large commitment and instead immediately went into teaching at a private school in New Jersey. Now, with the pandemic opening the door to virtual classes at many universities, in particular Temple, Mrs. Schroeder has the opportunity to earn her Ph.D. while still caring for three children at home.
“I definitely want to go back to teaching, whether that’s at the college or high school level, I don’t know.”
Ms. Schroeder
In terms of what’s in store for her after Temple, Mrs. Schroeder isn’t completely sure.
“I definitely want to go back to teaching, whether that’s at the college or high school level, I don’t know,” Mrs. Schroeder said. “It will probably depend on my kids and what their needs are, but that being said, I absolutely love teaching high school.”
Mrs. Schroeder has had experience teaching both in a high school and college setting through her work as an adjunct professor for Saint Joseph’s University for two years prior to returning to Haverford.
“Obviously teaching at the college level gives you more flexibility, however, college students are not funny. I mean they come in, they’re there to learn, do their job, and then leave,” Mrs. Schroeder said. “Something I had forgotten, which Haverford quickly reminded me, was that [high school students] can put humor into just about everything. Sometimes it’s not the appropriate time, but it lightens the mood, it lightens the day and makes learning more fun.”
“Señora Schroeder’s kindness is genuine and her engaged yet relaxed teaching style made Spanish really fun to learn. Because of her, I want to pursue [Spanish] further in college.”
George Lanchoney ’21
In her three years here, Mrs. Schroeder created a supportive environment for her students, where they feel comfortable asking questions, are excited about the class, and overall enjoy learning Spanish.
“Señora Schroeder’s kindness is genuine and her engaged yet relaxed teaching style made Spanish really fun to learn,” Sixth Former George Lanchoney said. “Because of her, I want to pursue [Spanish] further in college.”
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