TEACHING PHISOLOSPHY: Reyes Baena (Feb. 20, 2021). Bringing Cultures Together, Creating Healthy Ties, and Fostering Meaningful Learning Opportunities. I am an instructor of Spanish language and culture! Students are first and foremost human beings with hopes, ideals, fears, and goals in life. After all my professional and life experiences nationally and abroad, I have noticed one thing in common, people are in need of being heard and finding reals and solids goals in life in somehow. Recognizing students as unique individuals, I like to give them space to grow in my class. I strive to create a safe space, where they can be theirselfs, to keep working with a real feeling of support of their community, their class, to develop their own identity within a new Culture and society. Ê Creating a collaborative and respectful environment in class is vital. Collaboration nurtures a sense of commitment to service. Using new communication and social collaboration technologies, dynamic and innovative approaches such as digital storytelling, I encourage collaborative learning of Spanish as a foreign language. It is important that students feel that they are knowledge creators, and they situate and interpret authentic materials using their developing critical thinking abilities. Second language learning in a globalized world reminds students that they are part of a global and diverse community, no matter where they are. Ê My final goal is for the student to learn Spanish, but this is not possible if there is noÊreal change in them. I prioritize student centered initiatives, presentations, and classroom dynamics which reinforce interpersonal relationships and understanding in a specific cultural context. When they leave my classroom they will have learn to communicate in real significant contexts, they will have seized the opportunity of self-knowledge,Êthey will possess a greater openness of mind and the ability to seeing new horizons, and they will have learned to adapt to changing realities within global multilingual communities.