Born in El Salvador, José Aleman enjoyed exploring Latin America, teaching students across the continent. After moving on to the United States and teaching in various states across the country, he currently substitutes for Spanish teacher Julia Bostrom at Westford Academy.

Along with other foreign language teachers, Aleman is not only expected to teach the language, but also to delve into the culture of Spanish-speaking countries.  Ever since joining WA earlier this year, Aleman has intended to introduce the Spanish culture to students by bringing the information and language to life.

 “[Aleman] shines a brand new light on learning Spanish. He let’s us learn Spanish from a personal point of view, like letting us learn ideas we want to express in Spanish, so we can challenge ourselves. He makes the class fun, informative, and a class I look forward going to everyday,” said Alisha Sodhi, a sophomore student of Aleman.

Upon realization of teaching being a passion of his, Aleman has taught his whole life. He has taught an array of studies including social studies, creative writing, and English as a second language to students from ages in pre-school up to high school in a program called ESL.

Aleman has been around the western hemisphere, teaching from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Cuba, San Francisco, Vermont and now Massachusetts.

According to Aleman, countries in central America give teachers more authority over the student. Teachers are held more accountable for the actions of the students than the parents. He states that here in Westford, it is the opposite.

Westford Academy is prosperous with extracurricular activities which often bring opulence to the students and the school.  Aleman comments that it is not only the student body that the school consists of but the audience who support them.

 “I have seen the transition from the winter to the spring scenes. I have also witnessed successes in the school and with the theatre. Championships that almost happened like in the case of basketball. So I have participated, even at a distance, for the success of our students,” said Aleman.

Ultimately, Aleman hopes to give his students a helping hand to start their journey to enter the world. He wants all students to be content and full of life for whatever option they choose. Aleman states that the best part of high school is studying beyond the traditional topics.

“I appreciate the fact that students [here], use your time to explore future careers and thank God that you are starting now in High school because this may decide what you will do for the rest of your lives. I commend you all for dedicating yourselves to the things you enjoy,” said Aleman.