Normal West’s French teacher Brandee Klieber is an integral part of the foreign language department with her knowledge of French culture.

Klieber has taken many opportunities to widen her ability to teach others how to learn and speak French like her time studying abroad.

Teaching French wasn’t her first option, as after college she had a banking job but the repetitiveness was not her style.

The rewarding role of being a French teacher has paid off with many highlights “seeing students learn and progress. My favorite thing is when I get to teach the English connection and then it clicks for students” Klieber shares.

After she knew she wanted a different career there was still uncertainty. But with an interest in teaching and some guidance from advisors at ISU, the best option was to use the foundation that had already been built, with the amount of French and German classes Klieber already had, a job in either language was best.

Klieber’s understanding of the French language and culture branches out further than most as her time studying abroad helped her grasp the French lifestyle better. During college Klieber lived in France for six months with a host family that didn’t speak English.

Spending time studying, walking around the city, and taking in everything around were ways to immerse herself in the culture which ultimately helped with her understanding of the language.