By Sebastian Beltran – Staff Reporter 

Spanish teacher Mrs. Trombetta is one of the most influential educators in the Jonathan Law community.

Trombetta is known for her passion for teaching and her ability to make learning a new language both fun and engaging for students.

What makes Trombetta stand out is her ability to build strong relationships with her students, and most importantly, she takes the time to get to know their individual learning styles and interests and uses creative methods to teach them.

“My approach to teaching Spanish includes practical, conversational skills rather than just solely focusing on grammar,” Trombetta said. “It incorporates immersive techniques, allowing students to engage with authentic materials like songs, movies, news clips, and social media in Spanish. Culture is also a focal point of my teaching. By encouraging real-life conversations and active participation, my goal is to foster an environment where language learning feels natural and relevant to daily life.”

Trombetta’s goal is to incorporates real-world scenarios and cultural experiences into her lessons.

“For example, students may engage in role-playing activities that simulate ordering food at a restaurant or traveling in a Spanish-speaking country,” Trombetta said. “We also learn, discuss and reflect upon real life events (from past and present), cultural celebrations and experiences.”

Trombetta’s love for the Spanish language dates back to when she was a student herself.

“I grew up speaking Italian, which helped me greatly in my study of Spanish because I was able to make linguistic comparisons between the two languages,” Trombetta said. “I studied Spanish for many years in school, including in college where I spent one year studying at La Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. This is where I truly learned the language and culture by becoming completely immersed in it. I also majored in Spanish at Quinnipiac. In addition, I spend time outside of class learning about the people and cultures of the many countries that make up the Spanish-speaking world. I keep up with my Spanish not only in class, but also outside of class by watching series, listening to songs, following Spanish-language social media accounts and reading Spanish news articles. 

Trombetta hopes she has a positive impact on students’ learning and appreciation of other cultures, as it is a primary focus in her class.

“In Spanish 4 we are reading about a teenager from the U.S. who visits Ecuador and experiences various cultural shocks and learns to appreciate another culture through his love for photography,” Trombetta said. “Before we started reading the mini novel, students researched Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands in order to gain an understanding for the country and its people. In Spanish 5 we are learning about a real life event that took place in 1972 in which Uruguayan passengers from a rugby team were stranded in the Andes mountains for almost three months after their plane crashed. We are investigating and discussing the moral, cultural and social implications of the events.”

Another one of Trombetta’s goals every year is to make sure that every student feels supported and engaged in her classroom.

“It is important to create a safe and supportive classroom environment because sometimes students are shy or feel embarrassed to speak Spanish in front of their classmates,” Trombetta said. “This is why I like students to work in small groups to discuss questions or topics first and then share out.”

Trombetta’s students love her Spanish classes for a variety of reasons.

“She has helped me build confidence in speaking Spanish, and she always finds ways to make lessons feel exciting and relevant,” senior Jacen Brewster said. “She makes sure that we understand how language connects us with people all over the world.”

Through her passion for Spanish, Trombetta is shaping the future of her students, inspiring them to appreciate language.

“Mrs. Trombetta’s teaching style has really made me appreciate the process of learning a new language,” junior Jared Saludes said. “She focuses on making lessons interactive and fun, which helps me feel more comfortable speaking Spanish.”