“Oh, they are speaking Spanish. My grandma is visiting from Puerto Rico,” was the response that my friend, Lauren, gave when I looked – with apparent fascination and confusion – as I entered her Spanish-speaking household. I remember thinking to myself, “I want to understand them.” That intrinsic desire sparked a lifelong commitment to language and culture. I lived in Florida at the start of my language studies and my curiosity continued through middle and high school. This eventually led me to a high school job at a local Mexican restaurant. I attribute so much of my fluency and confidence to the “teachers” I worked with at La Tolteca . Opportunities to learn from teachers and advocates do not just come from schools; they are all around us in every part of our community. Crafting opportunities for students to make meaningful connections through the study of a language, its people, and their way of life is my passion. It sits at the heart of my classroom. Students who learn world languages are better at understanding the perspectives of others. Using authentic sources, negotiating meaning from context, and using circumlocution to express their own ideas, my language students explore a rich culture while developing an empathetic lens through which they can view the world around them, their own world, and their own culture. For me, creating these unique experiences for my students directly correlates with the opportunities I have had as an educator to learn from others who have devoted their careers to ensuring that the value of world language education and cultural competency receives the emphasis that it merits. This appreciation for other cultures is critical in our 21st century global society. Being able to understand and interact with others across cultures while maintaining a positive attitude towards cultural differences empowers my students to connect and communicate without prejudice or bias. Connecting our students to the world starts with connecting teachers to resources and continuing education. I have always felt strongly about the need for professional development. I am steadfast and dedicated to ensuring that, in a time of critical language teacher shortage, we are connecting and networking to support teachers and helping them excel in their craft, keeping our professionals committed to world language education. Informed teaching is the key to engaging our students in making connections across complex ideas with cultural sensitivity. When networking with others to advance our own understanding, we are able to encompass the viewpoints of other cultures and other professionals in our curriculum to create that sense of curiosity to learn, grow, and understand. Passionate teachers spark that very curiosity that inspires students to persist through language study and apply the valuable skills they learn whether traveling, working, or simply conversing. In return, my students’ desire and curiosity to understand further invigorates me and gives meaning, purpose, and vibrancy to our course of study. Bringing language and culture to life for students evokes interest and helps foster their intrinsic motivation to understand our global society at the local, state, national, and international levels. In this seemingly divided world we live in, language and cultural competency are powerful bridges – true gateways to discovering and understanding the commonalities that bind us, and allow us to celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. In my classes, I focus my work to open that gateway for students and recreate each day the awakening I felt when entering Lauren’s house. I want my students to say to themselves and to the world, “I want to understand . ”
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Author14th year Spanish teacher Archives
June 2020
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