"Creativity and Leadership" are two key traits that distinguish Nancy Shearer in her approach to Spanish teaching. That’s according to one nominator, for Shearer to be this year’s recipient of the Cuesta College Teaching Excellence Award. The award was established by the Cuesta College Foundation to "recognize faculty who show leadership in course organization and presentation while keeping current with educational methodology."

Shearer, who recently traveled to Spain to study language programs and pedagogy, incorporates her travel experiences in her class presentations through the curriculum and slide shows. "I can honestly say that Nancy is one of the top teachers I have ever seen in a classroom," wrote nominator. "She incorporates multiple approaches to learning, everything from music to movement, language to visual stimuli…..students learn in her classroom." Shearer uses audiotapes, videos, props and maps are part of her Spanish teaching curriculum. All of her students look forward to her presentation on Spanish food, complete with recipe cards written in Spanish and a following potluck.

Shearer earned her master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College in Vermont and her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from San Jose State. She began teaching at Cuesta in 1975, as a part-time instructor English, ESL and Spanish. She became full-time in 1988. Shearer resides in Arroyo Grande.