Sonia Ponce is joining the Clapham School faculty this fall as our Class Four teacher.
Can you please share a little about yourself?
I have lived in Illinois for the entirety of my life and have one older sister who is married with two children. My mother was born and raised in Mexico City, and my father was born and raised in Chicago. My parents raised both my sister and me in the Christian faith and believed strongly in Chistian education, of which I am most appreciative and grateful. My parents, sister, and I all live near one another, which is a blessing.
Where did you grow up/go to school, and to what church do you belong?
As mentioned previously, I was born and raised in Illinois. I attended the same Christian, private school from the time I was 3 years of age through 12th grade. From there, I attended Belhaven University, a private, Christian liberal arts university located in Jackson, Mississippi.
I attend Village Green Church.
Any especially formative experiences or history that you think is interesting/relevant to our community?
Two main things come to mind: glass and hieroglyphs. Glass may very well be my favorite medium. It is a stunning material, that when created in art form, beckons – near demands – to be gazed and awed at. Several years back, I took my first stained glass class and continued for many years. In this time, not only did I fall in love with the art and with glass, but my eyes were opened to how beautifully the Bible’s redemptive story through Christ could be seen in stained glass and in the process of creating this art. Over time, I also dabbled in fused glass and blown glass.
Amidst pursuing these two additional glass art forms and throughout their creative processes, additional gospel-inspired themes arose. Any time I see glass, I appreciate not only its beauty, but also the biblical themes and Truth it suggests. Regarding hieroglyphs, Ancient Egypt has fascinated me since childhood. Fast forward many years, and one day while my students and I were in the Ancient Egypt exhibit at the Field Museum, I thought while looking at some hieroglyphs, “Hmm. I wonder what that says. I should teach myself!” Once home and after Google searches, I did find some listed college textbooks for an Ancient Egypt college class and decided to purchase my own textbooks to study and teach myself to read and write in Middle Kingdom-period hieroglyphs. The process of learning was thrilling and fascinating. My eyes were opened to a whole other world, I was able to decode portions of some texts at my next Field Museum visit, and on a cultural perspective, I was able to more comprehensively understand the story of the Exodus and plagues of Egypt!
What led you to teaching?
When I was three years old, I declared to my family that when I grew up, I would become a teacher. I do believe this desire to teach is God-instilled. A school setting has always felt like home to me.
Do you have a favorite book that has significantly impacted you? Please tell us about it.
Without hesitation, I can say The Holy Bible is my favorite book that has significantly impacted me. Aside from that title, it is hard to say; it has always been difficult to answer “favorites” questions, since I regularly find myself deeply enjoying many things within one category! I will say, though, that in the last months I read The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. That book certainly left an impact on me, as it opened my eyes to just how readily humanity can be to willingly choose the dark over the light. Some additional books that have impacted me over the years are Suffering by Paul David Tripp (detailing traps found within struggle and Christ-filled hope), Inexpressible by Michael Card (a book explaining the “hesed” love of God), A Sacred Sorrow by Michael Card (focusing on the topic of Christian lament), and Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop (another book on Christian lament).
What are you reading right now? I am currently reading Rejoice & Tremble by Michael Reeves, Reaching for the Invisible God by Phillip Yancey, and both the ESV Study Bible and ESV Archaeology Study Bible.
In your opinion, how can parents best support their children to make the most of a Clapham education, and what role do you see yourself playing in that partnership?
I believe a best way for parents to support their children for a Clapham education is to tend to intentional character formation, spiritual formation, and thirst and wonder for knowledge, all of which are fostered at Clapham. Through teacher and parent partnership in these areas, a complementary overlap is created between the home and school settings.
What are some of the things you’re most looking forward to in the year ahead?
Some of the things I am most looking forward to is working in a setting with the classical, Charlotte Mason model, daily living and learning alongside my students and getting to know them, opening up each school day singing a hymn, and enjoying Clapham’s library – what a beautiful space!
If you had a day free of any scheduled responsibilities, what would that day look like?
A day like that would include waking up early and enjoying the sunrise, reading and studying the Bible, working on a Bible study, memorizing Scripture, reading a faith-based book, listening to sermons and hymns, taking a long walk outdoors and observing leaves and flowers, and enjoying the sunset.
How can we be praying for you as you begin your career at Clapham?
Prayers for the commencement of my Clapham career are much appreciated! Please pray for wisdom, stamina, the ability to learn new knowledge and effectively incorporate it into the classroom, patience for myself amidst learning curves, and personal discernment for knowing when to set work aside and take a break to rest.
