By: Lauren Mitchell, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Every teacher has a unique background, experience, or teaching method that makes them stand out from the crowd. In the midst of new teacher arrivals this school year, our new French teacher, Madame Ayoub, stands out due to her joyful energy, creative classroom, and intriguing journey into teaching at River Hill.
When asked to sum up her entire life in one minute. Madame Ayoub revealed her unique background and road to high school teaching. Madame’s story “started in Lebanon, my mom was a principal. She always said that ‘the best thing is to teach.’ I said ‘I do not want to be a teacher like you.’”
Eventually, Madame “moved here (USA) when I was almost 19. I came without my family. It was a change in life, in Lebanon it was the civil war so I knew that there was no future for what I wanted to do there.” Being the only one in her family who left Lebanon, she set foot on an independent experience into adulthood. Junior Amber Mosley thinks that Madame has an interesting story and enjoys when “She educates us about her life in Lebanon.”
While raising a family here in Maryland, Madame Ayoub discovered that her mother was right, and that teaching really is the best thing for her to do. Madame finally pursued this passion “when my kids went to school, I decided I needed a change, with that I went to school and got my teaching degree. I loved it. Me and my two sisters are all teachers now.”
When asked why she decided to teach French specifically, Madame said that she “love(s) the language, I love languages in general, I speak four: fluent English, Arabic, and French, and I can get by with Spanish. I started taking Spanish classes last year.” Madame’s first languages were French and Arabic, later learning the others.
Madame not only loves teaching French, but her students enjoy learning it as well. Senior Kathryn Spurrier, a student in Madame’s French 5 AP class says that “the most rewarding part of taking French is that when I meet native French speakers, I can carry a conversation with them and connect with someone from a much different background than me.”
Madame divulged on some of her favorite aspects of teaching, saying “I know that grammar is boring for some, but I like teaching grammar and themes that I experienced with my kids like family and community. I know how the kids these days feel and how the parents feel.” She also likes “to challenge my students. They meet my expectations and go further, I enjoy that” French 5 AP student Anika Markan agrees with that statement, as she believes that Madame “challenges us and is preparing us well for the AP exam.”
Not only has Madame Ayoub tackled the responsibilities of sponsoring the Arabic club and the National French Honor Society, but she has taken on the most important tradition for River Hill French: The Buche Du Noel Bake-Off. This is a yearly tradition started by the late Madame Walk that all students and teachers at River Hill love. At the competition, French students bake a yule log cake, and the whole school gets to come and taste each submission. After the feast, there is a vote for best tasting and most creative cake. Madame is “ very excited to continue the Buche Du Noel competition! It is very exciting, I can see that the students want to do it.”
Prior to this school year, Madame Ayoub taught French at a middle school level. The transition from teaching pre-teens to young adults outwardly seems challenging, but Madame Ayoub is thriving. Regarding the transition, Madame “wanted to have the change. I have always wanted to be a high school teacher. Having my own kids in high school as well, I knew the challenge that students have. It has been a wonderful experience with the students so far!”
Specifically pertaining to River Hill, the transition into our welcoming community has gone well for Madame too. Madame Ayoub’s “kids went to Centennial which has a similar atmosphere, River Hill has been wonderful and I like it!”
Madame Ayoub had large shoes to fill, proceeding the adored Madame Dubreuil, but she has quickly gained the love of her students and fellow faculty members. Madame Ayoub’s energetic presence and passion for teaching is inspiring everyone around her.