On January 17th, Southern Lehigh welcomed new Spanish teacher Mr. Sean Marr. He was hired two months after Mrs. Megan Markwich’s sudden resignation, and has since taken over the classes she left behind.

Mr. Marr graduated from Penn State University in 2008 with degrees in World Language Education and Spanish. While he has always wanted to utilize Spanish in his life, he didn’t originally intend to be a Spanish teacher. He has had his fair share of jobs before settling in this career, many of which took place outdoors. To name a few, he was an outdoor instructor in Costa Rica, a professional river guide in California, and a camp counselor.

During a mountain biking excursion a few months ago, Mr. Marr stumbled across someone he met while whitewater kayaking a while back. She turned out to be friends with Southern Lehigh High School Spanish teacher Mrs. Aleica Deterville, and informed Mr. Marr of the job opening at Southern Lehigh. Upon learning more about this opportunity, Mr. Marr realized that it was the perfect fit for him. 

“I probably wouldn’t have been interested unless I knew the World Language Department taught with comprehensible input,” Mr. Marr said. “That approach is exactly why I came here. It’s progressive and equitable, and it makes it easier for students to learn.”

The ability to communicate in a second language is incredibly valuable in this world, yet only about 43% of the world’s population is able to speak more than one. Mr. Marr stressed the benefits of participating in a world language class like Spanish, and the enjoyment that can come from it.

“Engage with it!” Mr. Marr said. “Bring yourself and your interests [to class]— days can be so fun when students are contributing.”

Outside of school, Mr. Marr enjoys many different outdoor activities, ranging anywhere from kayaking, surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, and hiking, among many other things. He is unapologetically a man who appreciates the art behind traveling and experiencing nature, and he urges students to partake in the activities they enjoy as well. 

“Don’t be afraid to follow your own path,” Mr. Marr said. “It’s so important to be true to yourself.”

Though getting used to a new teacher halfway through the school year can be stressful for students, Mr. Marr is doing his best to ease the transition. Southern Lehigh students feel lucky to welcome a teacher willing to put in the work to improve their language-learning environment.