Alma Barozzi

World Languages

How does the APH teaching philosophy look in your classroom?

My teaching philosophy and practices have evolved a lot over the years, and
they continue to do so; my basic tenets, however, have remained fairly
consistent throughout my teaching career. They revolve around my belief that
all students are unique and special in their own way, that each of them has
something valuable to contribute and each deserves to learn and grow in a
safe space where they feel valued, loved and respected. I believe that
teaching is, above all, a labor of love. My classroom is a joyous space that is
student-centered in every way. In order for the acquisition of a foreign
language to be successful and long-lasting, the material must be cognitively
engaging, in other words, it must be meaningful and relevant to our students’
experiences. I try to give them a choice and a voice in their own learning by
designing learning experiences that tap into their values.

My role as a teacher is to allow each child to develop according to their
individual learning style, strengths and challenges toward their full potential by
making available appropriate methodology and resources in an atmosphere of
kindness and acceptance. Not a simple endeavor by any means, but as
anything truly valuable, it is worth every effort.

What excites you about The Academy at Penguin Hall?

I am excited to be part of an amazing team of educators who are committed to
a holistic approach to the education of girls. By instilling reverence for the
natural world, humanitarian values such as compassion, empathy and
inclusiveness, and a love of learning, The Academy at Penguin Hall aims to
form the strong and confident women of tomorrow who will respond
generously, competently and responsibly to the demands of their lives and to
the needs of the world.

Share something interesting about yourself.

As a student of linguistics, I have studied many languages, not necessarily to
learn how to speak them, but to understand the internal mechanisms that
govern their rules. My interest in languages extends to the people who speak
them, to their cultures and customs. Since a language is not taught in a
vacuum but in the context of its cultures, comparisons of cultural mores often
lead to interesting discussions about how our individual experiences and
perspectives shape our view of the world and the assumptions we make in our
interactions with people of different cultures. In the long term, this leads to a
deeper appreciation of cultural diversity.

Dr. Alma Barozzi has a BA in Linguistics from State University of N.Y. at Stony
Brook and a Masters in Linguistics from the Universidad de los Andes in
Bogotá, Colombia.  She earned a Diploma of Advanced Studies (MA
equivalent) and a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Universidad Nebrija in
Madrid, Spain. She also holds a Diplôme de l’Alliance Française in French
Language and Linguistics from the Collège International de Cannes, France.
She is the author of What kind of name is that? European Surnames:
Meanings and Traditions.