ESL Teacher: Heather Quintana

Heather Quintana, one of our Level 1 ESL Teachers at BIIN, is a full-time student at Texas A&M University, studying international politics with minors in sociology and economics. Heather also works part-time at Barnes and Noble at Texas A&M, where she regularly interacts with fellow Aggies, helping them with tasks such as figuring out which textbooks to order, assisting with their class schedules, and providing information and directions to new students during their campus visits. Some of the activities Heather enjoys during her downtime include playing the guitar and piano, listening to music, and traveling.

Coming from an immigrant background on her father’s side, originating from Cuba and immigrating to California, Heather grew up with a vested interest in immigration issues and how immigration policies affect immigrant families. Heather credits her mother for instilling in her a service mindset. Involved early on as a child in service events, charity organizations, and volunteering, she came from an upbringing where she witnessed how helping others can make a difference in someone’s life. This is what Heather had to say about her time so far working here at BIIN: “It felt very welcoming; I can tell that the people here, like Annie, do everything they can to be present and connect with their students.”

Having a passion for studying and teaching language, Heather finds the challenging but rewarding process exciting because of how language is used to connect people, allowing them to share their experiences and life stories through a new form of expression. She finds it thrilling to witness her students make progress over time and grow in their confidence in speaking and writing English. Heather attributes her teaching style to the many language classes she took throughout school. Drawing from the teaching styles of her instructors, she has modeled her own approach to include conversation-oriented group activities and interactive tasks to better cultivate relationships with her students.

Currently, Heather is considering a career in Immigration law, combining her education on topics such as foreign affairs and Latino immigration. We here at BIIN look forward to continuing working with her and wish her the best in her future endeavors!