Erica Omahoney

Originally from Natick, Erica Omahoney is a new Spanish teacher at the high school. She attended Clark University in Worcester. She lives in Boston with her husband and two children and likes spending her time with her kids and going to the movies.

What is something you always keep in mind while you’re teaching?

To smile and be positive. I mean, it’s really easy because they’re such great students, and I’m usually excited to see them. Also, to assume best intentions, like ask a student if they’re late for a reason and check in because maybe someone’s having a bad day, and they’re not doing something because they’re lazy. Maybe they have a reason.

What’s your favorite part about teaching a language at the high school?

My favorite part about teaching a language is when students get excited to speak Spanish and when they speak Spanish to each other and look at me and make this face like, ‘Oh did you see that?’

What do you feel is something unique to being a language teacher that teachers in other fields don’t always experience?

I think one benefit to teaching a language is because there’s listening, writing, speaking, we automatically have to do all different types of activities in one class, so it’s a little bit easier to find engaging activities.

Have you noticed anything teaching here that’s unique to the high school?

Something that’s unique is that there aren’t as many schoolwide rules and discipline structures, which I think is great because I think that students have a lot of voice here, and teachers have a lot of autonomy.