One of your Normal West foreign language teachers, Tiffany Bernardini, also known as Srta. B [pronounced in Spanish], found success in a non-traditional way discovering what worked best for her.

Srta B. attended Normal West High School from 2007-2011. She worked through basic studies at Heartland and later transitioned to ISU, graduating in 2020.

She always knew she wanted to do something with Spanish but later found her passion for teaching after having her son Elliott in the summer of 2016 during her time managing McDonalds.

“So that’s when I started adding teaching classes and doing the actual teaching part,” Srta B. states.

Her non-traditional way of success was her bachelor’s degree taking nine years to complete, whereas most do it in four. “It was a non-traditional way; being a little older going through college,” Srta B. noted.
During the 49 minutes of her class, she focuses on building relationships with each student, as well as teaching ways students can use Spanish in the real world.

Her classroom is “a place where students are able to feel safe” explains Bernardini especially when learning a new language.

She believes it important to remember what it was like to be a student and have fun while learning.

Her advice to students is to “not stress over your career if you are undecided, and to just go with the flow,” she adds.

During time outside of school, she spends time with her Husky, Bellatrix, while reading Harry Potter and spending time with her son.

Srta. B has been working in the foreign language department at Normal West for four years now and will continue to make connections with her students and help them learn the challenging language of Spanish.