Voices from the Studio
The Language Studio is not just a place for academic support—it’s also a space for creative expression. Below is a poem written by one of our volunteer language tutors, reflecting on the transformative power of language and its profound impact on those who teach it.
The Art of Teaching Tongues
By Deborah Idowu
I am the keeper of the golden keys
That unlock words beyond the seas,
A guide through linguistic mysteries,
Leading learners with gentle ease.
Like a shepherd tending to the flock,
Or smiths who shape the stubborn rock,
I mold raw sounds to beauty’s form
Till foreign words feel their norm.
With tools of wisdom tried and true,
I build their grammar phrase by phrase,
Create word-families, bright and new,
Till confidence begins to blaze.
Each time they speak, my heart takes wing,
For teaching is my offering—
A bridge across the shores of speech
Where minds connect and borders breach.
Through guided practice, day by day,
I watch their progress on display,
As vocabulary blooms and grows,
And understanding freely flows.
This is my mission, this my art:
To help new languages take part
In lives that yearn to understand
The voices of each distant land.
Published in: Vernacular: New Connections in Language, Literature and Culture, Vol. 10, Issue 1, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
About the Author
Deborah Idowu completed her M.A. in French and Francophone Studies at the University of Florida in Spring 2025. Her journey with the French language began early, inspired by her first French teacher during her elementary school years in Nigeria. This early introduction blossomed into a lifelong passion that shaped her academic and professional path.
She has been teaching French since her undergraduate years, drawn to the joy of sharing this beautiful Romance language with others. As a tutor, she finds her greatest motivation in her students’ dedication to learning:
“I love to see people show keen interest and commitment to learning an additional language… I will see to it that such a learner reaches their goal.”
Her approach to teaching French combines academic expertise with genuine enthusiasm, creating an environment where students thrive in their language-learning journey.