Erin Hanson - Spanish Instructor

Erin grew up in inner-city Chicago, surrounded by vibrant Spanish-speaking communities. She fell in love with the Spanish language in high school, a passion that deepened while teaching English to Latin American immigrants and getting involved in community organizing for immigrant rights. After spending a life-changing year living in Puebla, Mexico, she decided to formally pursue her studies in Spanish. She holds a B.A. in Spanish from Portland State University, where she is currently completing her M.A. in Spanish.

As a teacher, she brings a dynamic, welcoming energy to the classroom and loves creating interactive spaces where students feel safe to take risks, have fun, and grow. She especially enjoys teaching at Tierra because of the close-knit, curious, and down-to-earth community. Her approach emphasizes real-world communication, cultural enrichment, and joy in the learning process; integrating everyday conversation alongside grammar and vocabulary. She loves to exchange music and movie recommendations with students.

Outside the classroom, she enjoys reading, writing, and hiking in Oregon’s gorgeous wilderness. She’s also a fan of sci-fi and fantasy books and movies, and brings a strong sense of humor into her teaching. Her classes include a lot of games, laughter and connection.