At Indiana Academy, Heather Rogers brings language and culture to life in her classroom. As an Associate Lecturer of German and Russian, she strives to ignite the same passion for languages in her students that has shaped her own life. She teaches with energy and enthusiasm, always looking for ways to help students connect with new cultures.

“I love my subject area and wanted to pass on that love to students,” Rogers says.

Her career in education reflects her dedication to making language learning engaging, immersive, and meaningful.

A Unique Opportunity at Indiana Academy

Rogers chose Indiana Academy because of its distinctive commitment to language education.

“IA offered Russian language to high school students. That was and still is unique in the state of Indiana,” she explains.

She also appreciates the school’s close connection to Ball State University, which gives students access to a wealth of cultural and academic resources.

“There are so many resources—programs at Emens, theatrical performances at the university’s theaters, programs from the Rinker Center for Global Affairs—that have provided my students with high-quality experiences related to Russian and German outside of the classroom.”

Learning Through Experience: A Favorite Classroom Project

Rogers believes students learn best when they engage with the language beyond textbooks and vocabulary lists. One of her favorite projects in Beginning German involves exploring German food culture in a hands-on way.

“Students search for an authentic German recipe (from a tried-and-true German baking website that I use personally). Then, I have them make a list of the ingredients they’ll need (in German, not in English, since the recipe is in German).”

Students then “shop” for ingredients at online German grocery stores, converting prices and adjusting to the metric system.

“Finally, they are encouraged to try making the baked good on their own.”

By immersing themselves in a real-world task, students experience the language in a meaningful way, making it easier to understand and remember.

Advice for Future Educators

For those considering a career in education, Rogers emphasizes the importance of passion—both for the subject and for the students.

“You should be genuinely interested in the subject you teach and in the age of students that you will be teaching. If you are interested in your subject, you will want to keep learning about it throughout your career.”

Her enthusiasm extends far beyond the classroom. She spends much of her free time reading, traveling, cooking, baking, and attending cultural events, all of which deepen her understanding of German and Russian history, literature, and politics.

The Reward of Teaching

For Rogers, the most meaningful part of teaching comes from seeing the lasting impact she has on students.

“Every once in a while, I hear from a student that I had in class from years ago, and they might tell me that I had an impact on the area of study that they pursued. Or perhaps they didn’t continue on with German or Russian, but they let me know that I had some impact on their lives.”

These moments remind her why she teaches.

“I am deeply proud of the fact that I may have helped students discover what they are interested in, where a talent may lie that they never knew, or just been somebody whose class they enjoyed coming to every day.”

Through her passion for language and culture, Rogers empowers students to explore new ideas and expand their worldviews—one lesson, one conversation, and one recipe at a time.