10 Feature Feature Feature Mrs. Vozos-Robards: In And Out of the Classroom
By Grace Oliver Reporter
There are many differences between Central America and South America and the United States. One difference is the official language of each area. Another difference is that in Central and South American countries, there aren’t always accessible hospitals when a person falls ill with typhoid fever and giardia simultaneously. Spanish 1 and 2 teacher, Mrs. Brandi Vozos-Robards experienced this first hand while traveling in Peru. “I was very close to death. I think just being in a place in the third world and having a really bad sickness like that, and seeing what other people experience around the world helped me to be a more compassionate and loving person and to value the things I have in my life more strongly,” Vozos-Robards said. Mrs. Vozos-Robards leads a very interesting life in and out of the classroom. She has tattoos, studies
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I have a huge passion for finding an understanding and loving way for all people to live together.” Brandi Vozos-Robards, Teacher
metaphysics, gardens and loves the outdoors, but teaching is what she is most passionate about. “I have a huge passion for finding an understanding and loving way for all people to be happy and live together,” Vozos-Robards said. “What better way to help the world become a better place than to teach others how to communicate with each other and to find way to bridge the gap between cultural misunderstandings?” Instead of learning Spanish in a classroom, like the majority of United States citizens, Vozos-Robards learned through traveling. She has traveled to about 30 different countries throughout Central and South America, Europe and the Caribbean. A dream Vozos-Robards has is to hike across the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal, along with many other adventures around the world. FEBRUARY 2016
“I hardly knew any Spanish when I first started traveling. I just traveled all over the place, and in doing so, was forced to use it and learn,” Vozos-Robards said. While traveling, Vozos-Robards kept a notebook and every time she learned a new word, she would write it down and study the notebook for hours. After coming back from traveling throughout Central and South America, VozosRobards ended up testing into 3rd level Spanish courses at Indiana University. “I feel like language and culture, in some ways, is a way for us to make the world a better place because you’re teaching people how to communicate with one another, and you’re teaching people about other people’s culture, and in doing so you’re helping them learn about themselves and to just be stronger people in general,” Vozos-Robards said. Outside of teaching, Vozos-Robards enjoys many different activities and pastimes. For example, she works as a Doula, which is Greek for “woman who serves.” As a Doula, Vozos-Robards aids pregnant women while they are in labor. She wants her clients to experience the joys of giving birth instead of being scared in a hospital, while also feeling empowered. This passion for helping pregnant women comes from an experience she had while pregnant with her son, Tiden, who is now six. “When people are in labor, they’re normally in labor for 12 to 24 hours, and I spent my labor in a park, outside, in the sunshine. I was literally playing on the playground between contractions. When I went to the hospital, he was born within a few minutes of me being there,” VozosRobards said. Along with being a mother of five, wife, Doula, avid traveler and teacher, Vozos-Robards is also very spiritual. She tries hard to incorporate her beliefs into every aspect of her life. Vozos-Robards was raised in a Christian home, but incorporates tenets of Native American spirituality, Buddhism and Confucianism into her faith. She chooses to raise her kids a different way than how she was raised. “I try to raise them with love and
PHOTO BY GRACE OLIVER
Mrs. Brandi Vozos-Robards teaches Spanish 1, period 6 students how to say their colors in Spanish with a hands-on activity. Sophomores Parker Niewald and Stephanie Rainbolt stand beside her while participating in the given activity. “I love doing hands-on activites with my students,” VozosRobards said.
understanding, and encouraging them to have that same love and understanding for others no matter what their background or ideals, to have love be their first response rather than hate and judgment,” Vozos-Robards said.
Vozos-Robards said she tries to teach her students the same way, with as much patience and respect as students deserve. She hopes that students who have her see the value in her methods of teaching.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT MRS. VOZOS-ROBARDS? “Mrs. Vozos-Robards is very kind and patient.” Taveon Smith, 11
“Mrs. Vozos-Robards is very open with her students. She has a conversation box where if you’re having issues, you can talk to her about it.” Alexis Moore, 10 “Mrs. Vozos-Robards is respectful of everybody and she’s always there to give help when you want help.” Ciara Luke, 10 PAGE DESIGN BY GRACE OLIVER