SkyView Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month

As SkyView celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month, I reflect on my own heritage and how it has impacted my life and my work supporting the World Language Pillar at SkyView Academy. My Puerto Rican upbringing has influenced my joy for life, love of family, community, good food, and music. My personal experiences and time spent living and traveling throughout Central America have inspired me to share these rich cultures with others and instill an appreciation of Hispanic heritage in all of our students. 

Our World Language Pillar states, “As our society grows more global in nature, foreign language studies becomes an important foundational element in a child’s educational program. SkyView offers PK-8 students daily Spanish language instruction, while high school students have the option of taking American Sign Language, French, Latin, or Spanish. Our goal is for students to acquire proficiency in interpersonal communication, interpretive communication, and presentational communication through the four integrative skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.”   

Our language teachers at SkyView are committed and passionate about what they teach.  

Mrs. Bybee: I teach Spanish because I am passionate about languages and want to instill that passion in my students. By the time I was 5 years old I was fluent in two languages. By the time I ended my Freshman year in High School I was fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish and had lived in both South and North America. I consider myself very fortunate to be this cultured and to be able to speak to a large population of the entire world in the 3 languages I speak. 

Mrs. Johnson: I teach Spanish because I love getting the opportunity to open students' minds to other cultures and communities. I also enjoy watching students take risks and be vulnerable by participating in front of the class daily. Plus, who doesn't love a good Spanish song Just Dance brain break? 

Mrs. Rodriguez: My guiding vision is to instill in students the passion for building cross-cultural relationships through the Spanish language, in order to serve as bridges between cultures. Through my practice as a Spanish teacher, I aim to build compassionate leaders and advocates, who understand and value other cultures, languages, and traditions.  When students are given the gift of language, it not only brings many cognitive advantages but also prepares them to interact with people from diverse backgrounds with empathy and respect. 

Mrs. Lui: I teach Spanish because I want to celebrate Hispanic/Latino culture and people. I want to celebrate the successes of students as they realize the growth they have made in their language acquisition journey. I teach Spanish the way I like to be taught, with excitement for new ideas, concepts, and challenges. 

Gracias,
Señor Negrón