Learning Bilingually

I’m a passionate bilingual educator with years of experience teaching Kindergarten and Fourth Grade in a Dual Language program in South Florida - always on the Spanish side. Alongside teaching, I served as our school’s Dual Language Team Leader, where I proudly organized our very first Spanish Book Fair and a Spanish Spelling Bee for Dual Language and ESOL students - both of which became highlights of our school year. Over the years, I’ve shared my expertise at conferences across the U.S. and internationally. My presentations have taken me to the New York State Association for Bilingual Education, the Cambridge Seminar in Chiclayo, Peru, the Seasons of Learning Conference in Broward County, and events in San Antonio, Dallas, and Orlando hosted by organizations such as NABE and FFLA. Driven by a deep commitment to bilingualism, I created LearningBilingually to celebrate the benefits of bilingual education and to empower educators, parents, and advocates. Through this platform, I share practical resources, inspiring ideas, and real-life insights from the classroom - all aimed at supporting the growth of bilingual learners and dual language programs.

I love teaching through centers because they create a student-driven classroom where children can explore, collaborate, and learn at their own pace. I’m a big believer in giving students voice and choice - offering meaningful activities that are both fun and educational. My teaching style is all about hands-on learning - using manipulatives, games, movement, and real-life connections to bring concepts to life. Whether students are building words with letter tiles, solving math problems with counters, or rotating through literacy games, my goal is to keep them active, engaged, and excited about learning every single day. I believe that when students are actively involved—touching, talking, exploring—they understand more deeply and remember longer.

Read Conmigo's 2017 Bilingual Educator of the Year in Florida

M.Ed. in Educational Leadership – University of Florida M.A. in Bilingual/Bicultural Education – Teachers College, Columbia University B.A. in Elementary Education & Middle School Mathematics – Rider University, New Jersey Certificate in Leadership – Rider University

I bring a strong background in educational research, particularly in the field of bilingual education. For two years, I worked as a Research Assistant in the Bilingual/Bicultural Education Department at Teachers College, Columbia University. During that time, I co-authored the peer-reviewed article “Creating Shared Access: Bilingual Teachers and Children Using Technology to Multimodally Negotiate Understandings in Science and Language,” published in Multiple Voices for Ethnically Diverse Exceptional Learners (Spring 2018). My work has also been featured in several publications, including: Our City Weston magazine (June 2018) – “Gator Run Dual Language Kindergarten Classes Operate for Success” Our City Weston magazine (September 2017) – “Gator Run Teacher Named Bilingual Educator of the Year” National Science Teachers Association Reports (January 2016) – “Learning Science in a Second Language” Worlds of Words Review: Reading Across Cultures – Critical review of All for the Better: A Story of El Barrio (Volume VI, Issue 4 on global diasporas) These experiences have deepened my understanding of how bilingualism intersects with literacy, science, and student identity - and they continue to inspire the resources I create for teachers, families, and schools.