“Buenas tardes, clase.” “Buenas tardes, Profe.” This was the start of every class Andre Yavetsky (Profe) taught at LFHS for 25 years. He was known for his quirky teaching style, where he would randomly call on students to answer questions, poke holes at everyone’s Spanish accent, and, often unsuccessfully, set students on Starbucks and beach dates.
Following his retirement after the 2022-2023 school year, many have been left wondering what Profe has been up to. During class, he frequently went off track to talk about his future move to Spain with his wife or how his cats (Phoebe and Sophie) would love the warm weather awaiting them after the year.
How has retirement been treating you so far?
“Retirement is something that I definitely have to get used to. It’s such a huge change in my life that I’m still in the process of adjusting to it. At the moment, I spend most of my time fixing up our new home here in Florida, negotiating with contractors, and choosing furniture and plants.”
Did you get your dream Spain move?
“After enjoying our vacation in Florida for several years, my wife and I decided to move here after I retired to see if we liked it. So far, it’s hard not to enjoy warm weather and the beach all year around. As for Spain, it will always be an option, but for now, we settled down here next to Jupiter Island.”
Have you picked up any new hobbies?
“My hobbies so far are limited to working out in the gym and playing piano. I always enjoyed doing these two things, but now I can do them without worrying about time. I miss teaching, and I will cherish my time at LFHS forever. I spent the best years of my life there.”
What’s a moment in your teaching career that you’ll never forget?
“I’ll never forget the moment when I was told that I was accepted as a Spanish teacher at LFHS. That moment changed my life forever.”
How has your understanding of being a “good teacher” evolved over the years?
“At the beginning of my teaching career, I was too rigorous and pushed my students too hard because I was always afraid of running out of time and being unable to cover all the planned material. Not all the students were happy with that pace and rigor. Eventually, I learned how to be more flexible. This transformation made me a better teacher. Having said that, I always thought that Lake Forest students are very capable and deserve to learn as much as possible in such a special place as Lake Forest High School. I frequently like to call it a ‘palace of knowledge.’ They are fortunate.”
How did you keep your students engaged?
“I can’t say that I always kept my students engaged, but I think I did my best. I think several factors helped me to accomplish this task: my personality, my life experiences prior to teaching, knowledge of the subject matter, patience, ability to relate to students, emotional control, and a sense of enjoyment in what I do.”
What life lessons did teaching teach you?
“In order to be a good teacher, don’t ever stop learning.”
What advice would you give to current students about the importance of learning languages?
“Advice for students: Learning a foreign language will improve their cognitive abilities, help them understand and embrace new cultures, and change their view of the world. (There are a ton of benefits, just ask Google!). In my case, my three languages helped me survive in a new country (USA), earn a good living here, find a soulmate (from Spain), and travel without a language barrier all over the world, and so on.”
If you could give one piece of advice to your former students, what would it be?
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great!”
What’s something about life after high school that you wish students knew?
“After high school, second chances are rare. Do things right from the beginning.”
