My name is Jason, and I'm a father, an educator, a doctoral student, an author, and basically, a 100% language nut. I strive to learn more about new languages, cultures, as well as writing about a variety of topics (travel, fiction, poetry). I am always actively seeking different learning experiences with language and culture, such as taking language classes in France and Spain. In order to communicate my passion for language to students, I often integrate technology in the classroom, as it is a fundamental key to helping students experience language and culture in a more meaningful and "real-world" environment. The global community of today requires us to open our minds by learning new languages and cultures. My interest in languages led me to writing, and I continually seek to use my creativity to entertain others. The culmination of this desire became a reality when I self published my book of poetry in Spanish before having my first young adult novel, "The Blood Rock Prophecy: Awakening" published by Mascot Books in the spring of 2015. Bringing my passions for language, culture, and history together into a work of fiction represents one of the greatest achievements of my personal life and academic career.
Additionally, I am an avid traveler and have visited most of the countries of Europe, as well as Mexico, Argentina, and Morocco. My dedication to language, culture, and traveling guided me to developing a study abroad program to Québec at The Westminster Schools. Working with Selwyn House School in Montréal and Voyages Eeyou Istchee Baie James, I helped to create a linguistically and culturally driven experience for my students. We spent time in Montréal and Québec where we studied Francophone culture and history before heading to Oujé-bougoumou in northern Québec where we worked with Elders and members of the Cree, one of the First Nations of Canada. Our group spent two days experiencing Cree traditions and culture, even sleeping in traditional dwellings in the frigid Canadian temperatures in January. Every student remained so engaged in the experience, that no one complained about the extreme weather, at least for us from Atlanta. The program ran successfully for 2 years during our January minimester, called JanTerm. Presently, the students and I remain in contact with the people we met in Montréal, Québec and Oujé-bougoumou due to their everlasting effect on our lives.
After 9 years of experience, learning, professional and personal growth, and collaboration at The Westminster Schools, I taught for a year at The Taft School in Connecticut. Now, I'm excited to be teaching French and Spanish at The Cambridge School of Weston just outside of Boston. My family and I are thrilled about this new adventure and all that the Boston area and New England have to offer. I always look forward to new challenges, experiences and learning opportunities.
Finally, as someone who endeavors to put students in authentic and culturally relevant situations, I have also been fortunate enough to accompany students and/or be a student leader on study abroad programs to France, Spain, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Language is a living and evolving entity. As a linguist, my goal is to instill this sentiment in my students by creating a classroom environment where uniqueness, honesty, and inclusion are celebrated. Using language to discover and express truth lies at the heart of my classroom, my personal teaching style, and learning philosophy. As I always tell my students, “the day I stop learning will be the day I die.”
Jason N. Smith
@languagedorkjns (Twitter)
