Class Act Teacher of the Month: Ocean Springs High’s Erica Scott

It’s time now for our first Class Act of 2023. As we embark on a new semester with students and teachers, we’re taking you to Greyhound nation to see how one long-time educator is exposing her students to new languages and fascinating global cultures.

For 22 years now, Ocean Springs native Erica Scott has been encouraging the students who come through her door to explore new worlds. “We’ve got so many opportunities to speak a foreign language, and to give yourself a jump start on your career in your classes when you get in high school to take these foreign language classes in high school so that they transfer over to college credit and higher-level classes that you can take on the college level.”

As a Spanish teacher, Señora Scott says learning a foreign language is such an important skill in today’s global society. “Not just learning the language, but also learning the culture of the people so you can really understand everybody’s story and see where they come from, and make you more of an empathetic person.”

Learning a foreign language can be daunting to some, but Señora Scott says her main goal in the classroom is to provide a welcoming, encouraging space to help students thrive. “I truly believe that anyone can learn a foreign language. You just have to get out of your comfort zone and try. I like to use comprehensible input. I like to start speaking on the first day of class.”

She lives for the moments where she sees her students begin to connect the dots and thrive in class. “I love to see these kids with the ‘a-ha’ moment. I love to see them come in my classroom not knowing any of the language and then by the time they leave they’re comfortable to where they can carry on a conversation, answer a question. They can go in to the next level, go in to Spanish Two, you know, feeling confident about, ‘hey I can do this!”