Rob serves as a Middle School French and Spanish Teacher. He holds a B.A. from Kalamazoo College in Michigan, is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and was a Fulbright Scholar. Rob completed additional coursework at the Université de Caen, the Université de Paris, and the University of Houston. He has been teaching French and Spanish since 1983.

Q: Which of the five Sacred Heart Goals inspire you’re the most?

A: I have to say, it's always been Goal II—a deep respect for intellectual values. That has always been important to me. I've always been very much a student and very much interested in education and being as well-rounded as possible, and wanting to share that with my students. So, that's always kind of been my guiding principle. But as time has passed, I see the value of all the Goals. Goal V—personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom—is also important to me on a personal level. I think that development in wise freedom here at school applies to adults as well as to the boys. I feel like I'm able to take the wise freedom that the administration gives me to grow as a better teacher.

Q: What is your favorite Regis school event or tradition? 

A: It's Field Day. I love Field Day! I love the fact the whole school participates with teams having students from Pre-K3 through Eighth Grade. I like the world view of all the flags and the continents, and I just think the games are fun.

Q: If you could take your students on a field trip to anywhere, where would you take them?

A: I would take them to the Our Lady of Chartres Cathedral in France. It has an esthetic that the boys would appreciate, I would hope to share not only the architecture, but the stained glass as well, and especially for Catholic Sacred Heart kids to know that all the Bible stories are portrayed in those windows is something cool, too. I think it's an amazing place. To see the Cathedral off in the distance as you arrive this huge, monolithic building, when you get closer and closer—it just makes an amazing impression.

Q: How do you think students will remember you and your class?

A: I would hope that they remember me as someone who wanted to share my love of French and Spanish with them, such that they could go on and continue studying the languages. That's what I want for all of them—to continue with French and Spanish when they go to high school.

Q: What have you learned from your students?

A: I've learned that boys do learn differently. My first 34 years were in coed schools and there was an intermingling of how boys and girls learned. So, I've learned that the boys do learn differently, but that hey always want to be successful and to grow. 

Q: If you were not a teacher, what would you be?

A: I'd be a Michelin star chef.

Q: If could only eat meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A: I would probably start with oeufs mayonnaise then move on to beef bourguignon as the main dish. A nice little French green salad after that, with some camembert and then a coconut cake to finish it off would be an ideal meal.

Q: What is your favorite Houston restaurant?

A: I love Cafe Brussels for the crêpes normandes, and I love Pappadeaux for their Cajun seafood offerings.