“I introduce students to and broaden their knowledge of the American world beyond North America, including South and Central America and the Caribbean.”
Cecily P. Bernard
Teaching Assistant Professor
Department of World Languages and Cultures
I equip them with new lenses to view and interpret the world they inhabit, building language skills and cultural competencies relevant to the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking spaces of the Americas that help them function effectively as hemispheric (and global) citizens.
Language and cultural skills facilitate collaboration and personal connection, so teaching is my contribution to addressing the deep isolation that has adversely affected our world since the COVID pandemic and the advent of social media.
Why I Do What I Do
Hailing from a multiethnic and multicultural country (Guyana) and family, I have a natural openness to the world.
In addition to English, the Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Dutch languages surrounded me as a young person growing up, as well as an adult, since these were the languages either taught in our schools or spoken in the surrounding countries on the continent.
Currently Working On
I am currently exploring models of teaching in the language classroom that embrace a Joy-at-Work leadership approach that marries old-school values and care with today’s innovation and technology for a holistic learning experience.