In her fifth year teaching at TMHS, Maria da Graca Dudley has become a key member of the Foreign Language Department. Born and raised in Brazil, she has carried her love of teaching worldwide, teaching English in Brazil before becoming a Spanish teacher in the United States. Many of her students she has from their freshman year to their senior year, allowing her the ability to have great positive impact on their academic success.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Brazil. The name of my town was Valinhos, translating to “little valleys,” in the state of Saō Paulo. There is about 100,000 people there, so it’s bigger than Tewksbury. It had a downtown area, with a few major industries, and a large countryside, with plantations of guava and figs. Compared to Tewksbury, it is more like a combination of a city and a town rather than a small suburb.

How long did you live in Brazil?

Twenty-five years.

What were you like in high school?

Well, my high school was different from what you guys have; I would go to work from 8 AM to 6 PM, going home for lunch. From work, I would walk over to a bus stop, and get on a bus for forty-five minutes to another town, where my high school was. School would last from 7 PM to about 11 PM. I had a full-time job since age 14. This is the norm in Brazil, and the school ran similarly to the Shawsheen Tech. I primarily studied chemistry, and I started working in a lab after my four years.

Where did you go to college?

I went to a Catholic university in Brazil called Pontifica Universidade catόlica de Campinas (PUCC). It was a university that had everything, including medical school.

What brought you to the United States?

My major in college was Secondary Teaching, and I wanted to teach English. After graduation, I came in order to improve my English, along to try and experience things I never had before, like cole-slaw and peanut butter. I came with a friend, and originally planned to stay and study for three months, but my friend convinced me to stay for the whole year. In order to afford it, we both got jobs as nannies. We had to take at least one class during the entirety of our stay to maintain our student-status.

What are the main differences between life in Brazil and life in the United States?

Brazil is more laid back; people take their time to converse and get to know people within their communities. Sundays are days dedicated to going to church and visiting family; there is never a Sunday where you don’t see your family. When I was growing up, every Sunday we would go to my grandmother’s house and stay for a long time. Here, it is more scheduled; if we go to someone’s house it is always within a timeframe. It’s a different lifestyle, and I had to adapt to it, Now I expect it. Also, the school systems are vastly different. I went to a private school, so we typically had class, but my friends in public school often times did not have class because teachers were often on strike. It was difficult for them to learn and get much out of their education. When I was in college, sometimes I would be kept out of class for around three weeks due to striking.

What languages do you speak?

I speak Portuguese, Spanish, and English.

Inspiration behind becoming a teacher?

Since I was little, in the third or fourth grade, I have always loved to learn and help others. Parents used to come up to me and ask me to tutor their children. I would love to play school. Many people in my family are also teachers, so that may have also played a role; it runs in the family.

How did you end up teaching Spanish in the United States?

During my stay, I met my husband, and we got married. I wanted to go back to work; in Brazil, I had taught and been a bilingual secretary, but it was different here.  Here there was not a large demand for Portuguese teachers, so I needed to find something else. In order to teach here, I needed to get all of my transcripts translated and sent from Brazil. I was lucky I went to a university, rather than a college, or they could not have been sent. Everything needed to be translated in order to see what I needed to complete in order to be able to teach. For example, I had not taken art classes in Brazil, so to teach here, I needed to take some. I also needed to take American history. I ended up going into a masters program, and taking Spanish educational courses, along with the prerequisite classes I had not taken before.

How long have you been teaching?

I’ve been teaching Spanish for 20 years, and I taught English for 5 years in Brazil. I started teaching English while I was still in college, since there were many English-only schools. I actually ended up having two jobs for a while; I would have my regular job, and on Saturdays, I would teach from 8 AM to 3 PM, one class after another. I was still learning myself, but I knew enough to teach.

What classes do you teach?

I have mostly been teaching advanced Spanish classes lately, but I do teach all levels of Spanish. The levels I teach each semester depends on what the school needs at the particular time.

Most rewarding thing about being a teacher?

I love being able to build connections with people; I love to be with people and know what’s going on with their lives. The best part about teaching is having the ability to see you guys growing up each day. Watching you all grow from freshmen in Spanish 1 to seniors later on is amazing. There is a big difference from freshman to senior year; high school really makes you grow up.

Where have you traveled?

I’ve been to Mexico many times. At my previous school, I would take a group of kids for a few weeks in the summer, and we would go to classes during the week and going on trips around the area on the weekends. In Europe, I’ve gone to England and Ireland. I’ve also been to Costa Rica, and many places within Brazil. Within the United States, I’ve been to Montana, on camping trips with one of my previous schools. Many of the trips I’ve gone on have been with schools, but with my family, I often travel to Brazil to see extended relatives.

Most rewarding thing about traveling?

Meeting people and seeing how similar we are to each other. People can be very friendly around the world, and we have more similarities than differences. People often take the time to see if you are having a good time. It makes you see the world as larger rather than smaller.

Any hobbies?

I love to read; that is probably what I enjoy most. I love to bake, but that can be a problem, since I am the only person in my house that eats any of it.

Favorite book?

I love books like Harry Potter; I love the adventure and fantasy. My daughter and I read the whole series together; how I read it is definitely the main reason I love it so much. Right now I’m reading Game of Thrones, and I’ve read Divergent as well. I love fantasy books, and it makes it easier to connect with all my students when I read things that they also enjoy.

Favorite movie?

Pillars of the Earth. I read the book, and the movie was pretty good as well.

What kind of music do you listen to?

It depends on where I am and what I’m doing. When I’m driving or just by myself, I listen to classical, for it allows me to be with my own thoughts and make plans. When I’m grading, I listen to faster music, like Queen, to keep my brain moving quickly. When I’m with my nieces and nephews, I listen to the Disney stuff, so what I listen to depends on the day.

Favorite TV show?

I like watching the British shows a lot. Right now, there is one called Crossing Lines that’s kind of like your typical cop show, but it goes through all the different European borders. Right now that is probably my favorite.

What advice do you have for your students?

You don’t have to like everything that you do, but you have to put time and effort into everything. I never liked  math, but what would I be if I didn’t understand any?  You have to have a certain understanding of things. Try to learn things for what they are rather than the grade; in every subject, there is something that you will use one day. Enjoy the moment and keep an open mind.