As the school year has begun, you may see some new teachers in the classroom. In particular the Language department welcomed Mrs. Guerrera who is the new Mandarin teacher for all grade levels. Her positive attitude towards SHA makes her a wonderful addition to the SHA community!

Mrs. Guerrera is from Taichung, Taiwan where she learned Mandarin. She lived in Taiwan until 2006, when she moved to the United States. She attended schools in places like, Taiwan, Canada, America, and China. After her graduation from school, she worked in business for a company that was in both Taiwan and China. While working with that company, one of her jobs was to train and teach employees. She saw that in America there was an increasing interest in learning Chinese Language and Culture. She decided that she wanted to share her culture and background with students who wanted to learn.

Mrs. Guerrera shares her culture and love for Mandarin in a multitude of ways. She is one of the moderators for Chinese Club this year and throughout her classes incorporates fun ways to engage her students and immerse them in Chinese culture. In late September, she played a game with her students called Ti Jiangxi which is a traditional Chinese sport. The object of the game was to keep a Jiangxi (a weighted shuttlecock) in the air without using your hands. It was a fun way to become more involved in aspects of Chinese culture while tailoring to those who enjoy sports or being active.

As a teacher her best piece of advice to struggling students is to never give up and never be afraid to ask for help when you find something challenging. In her class, she makes sure to keep a positive environment so that her students can thrive as learners and continue to expand their interest in Mandarin. Ava Guidet who is a student of Mrs. Guerrera’s and Chinese Club President says that “Our new Chinese teacher, Mrs. Guerrera, is a wonderful addition to SHA. She introduces new aspects of Chinese culture to us every class and makes me look forward to every Chinese class with her!” Guidet also includes that while working alongside her for Chinese Club, she is quite open to new ideas that will further the club and interest new students who are eager to learn.

Outside the classroom, Mrs. Guerrera enjoys hiking and golfing with her husband. She also enjoys cooking and has an interest in photography. She does not have any pets now but had three dogs in Taiwan. Mrs. Guerrera has a love for Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dramas too! Currently, her favorite food is spicy Sichuan dishes. As many can relate to this, her favorite color changes often but presently her favorite is orange.

Although she is new to this school, Mrs. Guerrera already has grown to love it here at SHA. She says, “My first month teaching at SHA has been wonderful. All the faculty and staff have been very helpful getting me setup and acquainted with the school. All my students are great, and I look forward to teaching them during their time at SHA.”. It is evident the love she has for the SHA community already which makes her an amazing asset to our school and an amazing teacher who always has her students best interests at heart!