How Outschool Teacher Jenniffer Saldaña Whyte Brings the World Into Her Classroom
Nosotros recently spoke to Jenniffer Saldaña Whyte, who teaches Castilian, History, and Zumba(!) on Outschool. In addition to teaching this wide range of topics, Jenniffer has a wealth of experience in helping others acquire about Afro-Latino civilisation.
During our conversation, Jenniffer told us nigh her teaching philosophy, her belief in borough and cultural date, and her education motto: "Bringing The World Into My Classroom."
Hi, Jenniffer. Can you tell u.s. a petty about yourself and your teaching on Outschool?
I am a native of the Dominican Republic who resides in Alabama. My husband, a native of Panama, and I are pastors of an International Ministry where we exercise community outreach and travel to countries in Latin America to practise missions, often medical missions.
I have my Bachelor's degree in Spanish Education from Jacksonville State University, and I'k currently working on my Principal's Degree at Liberty University.
I am a mother of five children, three biological and two adopted. My two youngest boys have Autism, and so we have had to be passionate and energetic to go through difficult times.
We can successfully say our boys have managed this condition without medication, and nosotros are proud of that. I am a Spanish instructor certified for Chiliad-12. I teach in an independent school in Anniston, AL, where I teach Spanish enrichment to grades 1st-3rd and Spanish 1,ii, and 3 to grades 9-12.
Why did yous begin teaching on Outschool?
I began teaching at Outschool so that I could proceed to teach Zumba classes during the pandemic catamenia.
Everything in town was shutting downwards, so I prepared to list my showtime department at Outschool called Zumba for Kids. I have been pedagogy Zumba for eleven years, and I'thou licensed in:
- Zumba
- Zumba for Kids
- Zumba Gold (for those merely mobile in a chair)
- Zumba Toning
- Aqua Zumba
There was no opportunity for me to teach Zumba Kids in my area, so I offered information technology on Outschool and information technology has been a hitting! When Summer arrived and I did not have whatsoever other instruction commitments, I began to teach Castilian, more than Zumba classes, and classes near culture.
We've heard that teaching on Outschool for yous is a family affair - is that correct?
Aye, I recruited my daughter Ariel Whyte, a college student, to Outschool, and she has non regretted it.
She is having such a great time and is relieved that she no longer has to work at a fast-food restaurant, since she is allergic to every tree in Alabama and has been wearing a mask for years only to non breathe in the pollen and other particles that make her ill.
Y'all teach in person and online. How do those roles differ and overlap?
Both pedagogy styles are different. All the activities are dissimilar. While in the live and online classrooms, I do focus on the students' senses. I make sure that in every lesson they've listened to something, discussed a topic, and saw a visual of something through video or photos.
With both types of teaching, I can do these things. With a live class, I tin utilize the senses of touch on, smell, and taste when online I cannot. This does not stop me from sharing my passion for didactics to my students.
Instead, online, I encourage students to explore and further the information I requite them. I take to think of ways to play games that are not just technological, even though I love to play Kahoot and Trivia.
Teaching online has truly pushed me to exist fifty-fifty more creative. I have discovered things near myself I never knew.
For example, I recently included playing Pictionary where the students use their own paper and markers to share with the class how they feel well-nigh something, or rock, newspaper, scissors revamped to show understanding of a concept, or for a multiple-choice formative assessment.
Teaching online has truly pushed me to be even more creative. I have discovered things nearly myself I never knew. My dream of having my ain TV show comes true as I create teaching video lessons for my students in a sitcom-type of mode.
Why have you chosen to teach several subjects instead of focusing on i?
At Outschool, I can teach whatever I am passionate about. Online or in a live class, I've always taught Castilian, English, civilisation, and dance fitness. This has been the norm for me.
I teach after school and on weekends in order to give my full attention to my classroom students during the week. I am very energetic. To keep my creativity alive, and to be able to expand my thoughts of how I can make things better, I prefer to teach several different types of classes.
I love to teach students from the youngest to the oldest. This helps me understand their development better and compare and contrast how each age group reacts to certain things.
I've always been a person who wears many hats, and in teaching, I have carried that aforementioned concept. My philosophy is "Bringing the World into My Classroom," which ways that with all the traveling I do, I always think of my students and bring back with me the civilization, the nutrient, the way, and anything I tin bring back to give them an experience of the culture effectually the globe.
Speaking of culture, y'all teach a course chosen Exploring Afro-Latino Culture. Tin can you tell us about that course and why y'all like to teach it?
Exploring Afro-Latino civilisation is actually my niche. I accept been presenting this topic to Spanish teachers for a few years now. I am invited to local, state, and national conventions to brainwash Spanish teachers about the importance of incorporating Black history throughout their curriculum all twelvemonth round.
I'm confident to know that my students accept learned a lot and hopefully will be citizens of this land who will pay close attention to injustices that happen effectually them.
As active as I am with my students, I am equally agile with Castilian teachers all over the U.Southward. I do take a post-obit of teachers through my page on Facebook: Incorporating Afro-Latino Culture in Spanish Classrooms. This group has allowed me to see that Castilian teachers and many other types of teachers lack the knowledge and agreement that Afro-Latinos are hidden, rejected, and not given plenty importance.
I am proud to teach this civilisation throughout the year in my classroom, and I'm confident to know that my students take learned a lot and hopefully will exist citizens of this country who volition pay close attention to injustices that happen around them, which they ordinarily ignore because it has nothing to do with them. I take created a safe place for them to talk about things that they may non want to inquire others.
With love and care, I hope that they model my behavior towards concepts of culture they exercise not understand. This by far is my favorite office of teaching. I don't only teach Spanish, I teach a globe of civilisation that comes with studying Latin America, Spain, and Africa with their positive and negative connections.
With Hispanics being the largest minority group in the United States, it is time that anybody understands that some of us are blackness, some white, other native, and many mixed. The ones who are black are the bulk who are ignored.
What else are you lot excited virtually when it comes to Outschool?
I just had another class approved! It is called "Enough is Enough! Blacks in Latin America, a hidden and rejected culture erupts." This form volition be education students about the history, civilisation, injustices, stereotypes, and anger inside the Afro-Latino customs.
With the current events going on, students will be able to hash out in this class why people are so angry right now. I'thousand hoping this class volition help many students understand the struggles that Blacks have gone through for centuries through the eyes of Latin America.
To learn more and enroll your learner in one of her classes, y'all tin can explore Jenniffer's Outschool instructor contour hither .
Source: https://blog.outschool.com/jenniffer-saldana-whyte/
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