Naima Wallace, Spanish Teacher July 29, 2020 By wpengine I frequently chat with seniors about my own experience at Howard University and studying Spanish abroad in Seville, Spain. I thoroughly encourage them to research the colleges they want to attend and I am deeply invested in their future and want them to pursue their passions and be successful. What was your journey to your current position? I graduated from Howard University in the Spring 2003 with a major in Spanish and a minor in secondary education. I come from a long family history of impactful educators and administrators, so I’ve always wanted to be a teacher from a very young age. I started my teaching career at James Madison Middle School in Prince George’s County and then at Shaw Middle School at Garnett Patterson in Washington, DC. This is my sixth year working here at Friendship Collegiate Academy. Could you talk about what you do at Friendship Collegiate? I wear several hats here at Friendship! I am one of two Spanish teachers, teaching levels 1 and 2. Additionally, I am the lead teacher at the Academy of Science and Technology. As senior class sponsor, I work hard to ensure that our scholars enjoy their final year, work hard, and fulfill all of their graduation requirements. There are so many parent meetings and events to attend, along with parent conferences, prom, cookouts, graduation, and so much more! I frequently chat with seniors about my own experience at Howard University and studying Spanish abroad in Seville, Spain. I thoroughly encourage them to research the colleges they want to attend and I am deeply invested in their future and want them to pursue their passions and be successful. My favorite senior event is the Cap and Gown Ceremony. Students receive three pins to offer the most instrumental people in their lives – teachers, coaches, parents. As an educator, it is deeply meaningful to receive pins and the heartfelt thank you’s during the ceremony. Oftentimes, we even receive pins from the students we least expect to give them. Graduation is such a joyous time! Excitement is through the roof! As a teacher, leader, and sponsor, it is my job to ensure that all loose ends have been tied and to, of course, remind students that this is just the beginning: “We’re going to AND through college!” Once they have earned their high school diploma, they must stay focused on college and the world that awaits them! Practicing the core values that Friendship has instilled will lead our young adults anywhere they want to go in life. What do you like most about Friendship Collegiate Academy?At Friendship Collegiate Academy, one is able to grow beyond their role. I started as a teacher and was recognized as being consistent and impactful. I was encouraged to make a broader impact to my school community in leadership capacities aligned with my skills and interests. I passionately believe that all students should have a strong support system – within the classroom and also outside of it. We can show our support as educators by attending our students’ extracurricular activities such as dance, theater productions, or sporting events, just to name a few. It is so crucial to support scholars in everything positive that they do. As educators, we are there to uplift them when they are struggling and we are here to cheer for them when they are soaring. I ask them about their interests, encourage them to be a leader in their community, and give back to those who are less fortunate. With hard work and dedication, I firmly believe that all students will succeed. What do you like most about teaching Spanish? My students have just completed research on the contributions of Afro-Latinos during the month of February! It excites me to see scholars so intrigued by their findings. There is so much to learn about the 21 Spanish-speaking countries, including one on the continent of Africa (Equatorial Guinea). It is critical to expose scholars to new things, people, and opportunities in this world around them! I encourage them to speak Spanish with native speakers. This is a wonderful way to foster an appreciation for diversity and respect of different cultures, holidays, and traditions.
Christopher Cruz July 24, 2020 By wpengine During Hispanic Heritage month, I introduce them to different Spanish-speaking countries, like Mexico, Panama, El Salvador and the others where some of our students come from. We learn how to make agua fresca and Mexican crafts, which I use to decorate my classroom. How did you become a Spanish teacher? Have you always wanted to teach? I originally worked for a company called Language Stars, where we had contracts with several schools. Back then, I was also a director at one of the centers and working for Ideal Academy at the same time. When they closed, Principal Speight decided to keep me on board. I’ve always loved working with children; I’ve been doing it for my entire professional career. I’ve even worked with children only a few months old, because at the language center we wanted to start introducing children to languages early on in order to build a solid language-learning foundation. Even if they weren’t using the language, they were gaining comprehension and being exposed to it. For example, if you stated a command, they would demonstrate that they understood. Can you talk more about the benefits of children building that kind of foundation early on? One of the benefits I see is that they learn from applying the language and through immersion. They do not need to translate words like adults. If you’re teaching, for example, you would use gestures, images, songs, and then the children will pick up the language quickly. It is important for them to learn at a young age so that as they get older, they can build upon this foundation from the previous years. In other parts of the world, it is perfectly normal for most people to speak two or more languages. It’s a good idea for us to catch up with the rest of the world in this respect. Do you teach them about different countries and cultures, too? I recently went to Brazil and have since been introducing the Brazilian culture in my classroom. I fell in love with that country. In Brazil, they speak Portuguese – I do not want to limit students to Spanish-speaking countries only. I want them to see that whatever language they choose to learn – be it French, Italian, Portuguese, or whatever – that there are so many cultures to learn about. I don’t want to only teach them a new language, but open the doors for them to expand their cultural knowledge and have more intercultural experiences. I want them to learn that life is not limited to their neighborhood, Washington D.C., or the United States. During Hispanic Heritage month, I introduce them to different Spanish-speaking countries, like Mexico, Panama, El Salvador and the others where some of our students come from. We learn how to make agua fresca and Mexican crafts, which I use to decorate my classroom. What do you like about Friendship? I love the sense of family here. You can go to anyone, ask them for a favor, and they’ll help you. They share resources, and there are plenty of resources at Friendship. Now I am part of a network of professionals that I can reach out to if I need anything. This is a strong community. In addition, our professional development sessions are useful and hands on. Rather than just sitting and listening to someone, we might create a lesson plan or design an activity. We’ll explore what works and what doesn’t for our students. Is there anything I haven’t asked that you want to be sure to include in your spotlight? I just want to reiterate that I love working with all children and specifically with those who are considered “at risk” in underserved communities. Sometimes I think they’re being programmed by the media to believe they can only achieve so much, but I want to show them that their potential is unlimited; there is so much they can learn and achieve. I want them to understand that they’re not going to learn anything if they don’t try.
