S4, Ep07: Inspiration and Innovation from All Over the Globe with Kerri Faraj

Kerri Faraj – Dual Credit Spanish Teacher at Cary-Grove High SchoolIn this lighthearted and joyful episode, Steph and Todd sit down with Kerri Faraj, a Dual Credit Spanish teacher whose path to teaching is anything but ordinary. Kerri shares how her love of Gloria Estefan, Spanish soap operas, and music in general pulled her into the world of language and culture and eventually into the classroom.Kerri talks about the excitement of designing a brand-new course at Cary-Grove: Conversational Spanish. She walks listeners through how she’s reimagining what a language class can look like by focusing on real-world communication, authentic resources, and activities that help students feel confident using Spanish in everyday situations.She also shares practical ideas and inspiration from music and pop culture to creative speaking routines that make the course both accessible and fun for learners at all levels.Throughout the conversation, Kerri reminds us that innovation in world languages doesn’t always require big changes; sometimes it’s simply about creating spaces where students feel free to explore, speak, and connect.