Sofía Díaz is an English Teaching Fellow, CAMD fellow, and House Counselor in Paul Revere House. Prior to arriving at Andover, she taught 11th- and 12th- grade English at a public school in Boston. Díaz grew up in Alvarado, Texas, and attended Wellesley College. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and cataloguing them on Letterboxd.
What prompted you to come to Andover?
I worked at a school in Boston teaching 11th- and 12th-grade English, and I have my license to teach in Massachusetts. I wanted an experience that would allow me to focus more on developing my content. I think this environment seemed really productive for that and a good space for me to sharpen my abilities to actually deliver English content. Overall, I was really intrigued by how immersed I would be in a community. That’s something that public school really can’t offer: you get to see the students’ lives more dynamically. That’s one thing I get really involved in here.
You studied Education Studies and English at Wellesley. What drew you to that field initially, and how did your college experience shape the way you approach teaching now?
What drew me to both was that, discipline-wise, education allowed me to engage in a lot of theory and also allowed me to immerse myself in communities. I learned from a very young age, in high school, that schools really are the center of the community. I knew I wanted to teach really quickly because of that. English was something that I’ve always loved. I always grew up loving and reading and being so mesmerized by text and words, and how someone is able to paste together 26 letters into different combinations. Combining both felt very natural for me. I also think English is an avenue for me to incorporate other types of media, like music or film, [which] I’m also interested in. College really helped me because Wellesley is such a tight-knit community. Having that modeled for me throughout my time there really shaped how I wanted to be as an educator: How do I listen? How do I support? How do I just be more compassionate within my practice?
Coming from Wellesley, what has surprised you most about the academic culture at Andover, particularly the way students engage with English and literature?
I was surprised by how much this place is like a mini-college and how primed students here are to engage dynamically and deeply with texts. I feel like I was at that level when I was in my first year of college. The students I have now are pretty much almost there or beginning to get there, so that’s been really exciting to see.
If you could invite three people to dinner, dead or alive, who would they be?
I would invite Dolly Parton, Ariana Grande, and Zara Larsson, just because they all have such fun personalities. They’re all music divas in their own way, and it would be fun to be at a round table with them. One thing that I always say is to bring back joy, and especially to bring back joy in the classroom. I feel like they have that approach of not being super serious. They’ve all done things that are genuine, so I think that’s something that links closely to me.
What has been the most meaningful or surprising part of your experience as a Teaching Fellow at Phillips Academy so far?
One of the most meaningful parts has been getting to be really close with other fellows in my cohort. It can be really intimidating post-grad because you’re in a limbo socially, so this program has put something in place for us as young people who just graduated to create a community. Not just because we’re all in our 20s, but because we’re all teaching as well. It’s nice to know that there’s always a teaching fellow to get a meal with or go to trivia with. This past Sunday, we celebrated someone’s birthday in their apartment. It’s nice that we’re all on campus and in close proximity.
How has growing up in a small town like Alvarado, Texas influenced the way you approach teaching and your daily life?
I have a very community-centered approach to teaching, so I really do let my students drive the classroom. Growing up in a small town helped me understand what it’s like to be in a community, what it’s like to build community, and how important it is. I always try to [create] small groups or pairs. On Friday, I had my students do group annotations, and there was a lot of beef going on in the annotations: lots of crossing out and lots of questioning. We had a whole conversation about that, and they had a lot of fun.
What’s one common misconception students have about writing or literature that you try to challenge?
What came across a lot last year is that students didn’t really see the point in it. They felt like subjects that have tangible skills, like math or science, can be applicable and are very career-focused. With English, they ask, “What is a career that you do with that?” I broke it down by explaining that reading, writing, speaking, and listening are skills that you’re going to practice and build in this class. Those are fundamental skills that will carry you through life. When you buy a new house, you need to know how to fill something out, you need a contract, and those kinds of things come up in your job, too. Even small things like writing emails are skills that you’ll have to practice throughout the rest of your life. It’s more about focusing on the skills rather than the content.
What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know about?
I’ve met Joe Keery, who played Steve in Stranger Things. He was in a vintage T-shirt shop that I went to [in] Austin City Limits, which is a music festival. That’s my one celebrity sighting that I feel like was super surreal. I was obsessed with Stranger Things growing up.
What are some hobbies you enjoy in your free time?
I’m a huge, huge movie watcher. Everyone in my dorm knows that because every time they come to check in, I’m always watching movies. I’m a huge Letterboxd user. My Letterboxd top four are When Harry Met Sally, La La Land, Casablanca, and Little Women (2019). I love an unexpected romance, a romance where you’re almost frustrated with how it ends. Those are the ones that are almost the most memorable and realistic. I also love a good family story.Those dynamics are fun. I’m also very keen on sound and how sound is used in movies. Soundscapes were something that really interested me in college when I was looking at media.
What’s your favorite part about being a house counselor in Paul Revere?
I really love it. I have gotten into a rhythm and routine with some of the regulars who come around. One always tells me about a book she’s reading, and then there’s a triple whose residents always show me their TikToks when I come around for check-in. Developing these little, small, quirky moments with them has helped me. Being so immersed in students’ lives has allowed me to see so much of their experiences, which allows me to better support them.
