Throughout this past year, it was not uncommon to see alumna Ms. Julia Foster sitting at a teacher’s desk, substituting when some of the NH faculty was absent. Next school year, Foster will have a desk of her own at North Harford Middle School.
Foster will be teaching a full year French course, a new program only offered to eighth graders. The NH graduate said school has really come full circle for her. “When I was interviewed and offered the job, I was honestly shocked. It has always been a dream to teach at the school I went to, [but] I never thought it would actually happen.”
Foster didn’t always have her heart set on teaching a foreign language. When she was younger, she never took much interest in experimenting with something other than English, or even learning a bit of Spanish from Dora the Explorer. It wasn’t until she got to middle school, where they placed her in a French language course, that she found her passion.
Throughout the several months Foster took this class, she discovered how easily French came to her. Ultimately, she made the decision to continue learning it throughout high school, but she never guessed everything that could come from it. “[French] was easy, so I figured I could use it as my graduation completer, so it was perfect! I never thought I would fall in love with the culture as much as she did.”
Throughout her life, Foster had many different ideas for what her future job might be. Thinking back to when she was a little girl, Foster recalls playing “school” all the time. She remembers setting up stuffed animals to be her pretend students, and even helping her aunt, who was a teacher, prepare her classroom for incoming students. In her teenage years, Foster explored many more careers that may be a good fit, including being a baker, or going into science in order to become a flavor chemist. It wasn’t until she realized that “French was more than just a language” that confirmed what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. In the end, she decided that her original dream job was the perfect one for her.
Foster adds how much of an impact high school had on her. “North Harford is such a unique community,” and she says she is “so grateful to have been a part of and remain connected to [it].”
There were many influential teachers who helped her throughout her time here. “[French teacher Mrs. Larrissa] Arist has been a HUGE supporter, friend, and mentor to me from the moment I stepped into her classroom.” Foster expresses much gratitude towards Arist, saying that she may not have chosen to go into this career if it wasn’t for her. “[Arist] has really guided me and constantly kept in touch to help throughout my journey.” Some other staff members who left a large impact on Foster include Principal Mr. Brian Pawlicki, English teachers Mrs. Jennifer Chandler and Mrs. Carla Harward, German Teacher Mr. Herr Blake, and a few more who are no longer teaching at the school.
Foster went to college for French transnational studies and paired that with a secondary teaching certification. She says her degree is “much more than just the study of a language.” It goes into depth on culture, geography, politics, and so much more in an immersive language setting. “I also love learning about teaching and improving techniques regularly. I can’t decide which part of my education I enjoyed the most, I feel very passionate about both fields!”
