Mirror: What classes do you teach?

Burchill: I am a Spanish teacher here at DHS, currently teaching Spanish 2 Honors and CP1.

M: How long have you been teaching?

B: This is my sixth year.

M: Where did you teach before coming to DHS?

B: I taught at North Attleborough High School and, most recently, Bellingham High School.

M: Where are you from?

B: I am originally from Bellingham. I spent the past three years teaching where I went to high school!

M: Where did you go to college?

B: I got my bachelors in Spanish with a minor in Latin American Studies from Rhode Island College. I also got my masters in Spanish Education from Rhode Island College.

M: What do you like most about teaching?

B: My favorite part of teaching is seeing students engage with Spanish outside of the classroom--I love it when students come in and tell me that they used their Spanish skills at work or at a restaurant! Even if it is just that they understood what someone was saying around them, it shows that they are picking up on what we are learning in class and seeing Spanish in the community.

M: What are your pet peeves in the classroom?

B: I think the thing that can be the most frustrating is when students try to talk at the same time as I am--it makes it hard for everyone else to hear what is being said which is important in a language classroom.

M: Did you have any jobs before teaching?

B: Before teaching I worked in a physical therapy clinic and as a receptionist in a car dealership while in high school! In college I was a substitute teacher and a preschool camp counselor in the summers.

M: What do you like most about Dedham?

B: So far, everyone in Dedham seems incredibly kind and I love the spirit and culture of the school!

M: What inspired you to become a teacher?

B: When I was in school, I had some incredible teachers that made me fall in love with the Spanish language and the culture. Because of them, I decided that I wanted to be a Spanish teacher myself to hopefully inspire the same feeling in my students.

M: What are your hobbies?

B: Outside of school I like to travel, read, write, spend time with my friends and family, and play with my dog, Charlie.  

M: What is your favorite movie?

B: My favorite movies are "La lengua de la mariposa" and "The Proposal".

M: What are your favorite books?

B: My favorite books are "La casa de Bernarda Alba" by Federico García Lorca and "The Rose Code" by Kate Quinn.