MVS’s Upper School Spanish teacher and World Language Department Chair, Señora McEwan, who was born and raised in the small town of Dickinson, North Dakota, didn’t start out planning to become a teacher. At North Dakota State University, she double-majored and double-minored with focuses on French and German, worked for the college student newspaper and even studied Spanish and International Studies abroad in Burgos, Spain. After graduating, she moved to Dayton, Ohio, with her first job here at Dorothy Lane Market. With an impressive list of previous jobs including a short-order cook, an after-school German tutor and a barista, she first began her teaching career at Archbishop Alter High School before moving to MVS.
She studied Spanish mostly because more people speak it, but liked it so much that she pursued it further. Coincidentally, she did not go into school to become a teacher. However, she liked being able to open individuals’ minds to other cultures and different types of people, which easily led itself to a teaching position.
This is Señora McEwan’s 11th year at MVS, which makes her the 3rd most senior teacher in the Upper School behind Mr. Graetz and Mrs. Roth. After hearing that MVS had an open teaching position and touring the place, she knew that she wanted to teach here. MVS is unique in many ways, but one of the major ones that she has noticed is the kids actually want to learn, and she can teach how she wants to teach. Because the students want to learn, there is usually little pushback on what is being taught, which Señora says makes her become a better teacher and engage with her class more. She also said “MVS has the unique goal of focusing on the students, not the material.” Her favorite part of teaching Spanish is those moments when people start getting it — when the grammar and language come together for the students.
Fun Facts:
- Outside of teaching, she has an array of hobbies such as gaming, cooking, outdoors, sewing, spending time with her family, being outside, reading and kayaking.
- She enjoys writing, and was even a published elementary school poet.
- She has played Skyrim for more than 11 years!
- Her favorite German word is most likely Schmetterling, which means butterfly.
- Favorite Spanish word is burbujas, which means bubbles
- Helped puppy-sit Rosie during the first few months of her life. Rosie will be 7 in 2 weeks
