Recently, TWIN-CS Network’s own Susanne Peña, mentor for our Florida schools, was interviewed by DualLanguageSchools.org to discuss how her upbringing continues to impact her involvement with bilingual education today.
During the course of this interview, Peña references her childhood in Puerto Rico, stating that growing up in a bilingual household continues to color her experience with bilingualism:
“Through her personal and educational experience, biliteracy has become a part of who she is, as it is something she has known her entire life.”
When Peña left Puerto Rico for Penn State University, she “saw how imperative it [was] to not only be proud of your heritage but also embrace bilingualism,” and became involved in multiple bilingual activities around campus including DJing the “only Spanish radio show on campus.”
While at school, Peña discovered her passion for teaching. After teaching in New York for a few years, Peña then decided to become a dual language coordinator, a position which would allow her to “provide her students with the most prestigious education she could offer so they could see the true benefits of a bilingual education.”
Peña then traveled to Florida where she was shocked to find a dearth of dual language programs despite there being a substantial Latino population. Working with Dr. Joyce Nutta, Peña is sharing the benefits of bilingual education with Floridians who, she believes, are hesitant to accept bilingual programs “due to the fact that if programs are not implemented correctly, or if resources are not allocated correctly, the program will not be successful.”
However, Peña imagines that through careful implementation and follow-through, Florida will become a hub of bilingual education with dual language programs aplenty.
Please read the fascinating and in-depth interview here.