LAFAYETTE, LA - Inside a Burke Elementary classroom, students eagerly raise their hands, erase answers from whiteboards, and respond to math problems; not in English, but entirely in Spanish.
“Este número mixto está más cerca de dos enteros?" (Is this mixed number closer to 2 integers?) asks Mrs. Rio, a Spanish immersion teacher at the school. Her students reply confidently, “Tres quintos es igual a un entero,” (three-fifths equals one whole) demonstrating their growing mastery of both mathematics and a second language.
This is not your typical elementary school classroom. Here, students learn core subjects like math in Spanish as part of Lafayette Parish's Spanish Immersion Program.
“I think we are creating leaders for the future,” said Rio.
A native of Mexico, Rio has taught for 24 years, with 17 of those dedicated to Spanish immersion instruction in Lafayette Parish. She views bilingual education as a tool that opens doors both culturally and academically.
“I think I’m opening the door to the new generations to have a second language or keep their heritage language and be bilingual in this country,” she said. “Being bilingual opened the doors and opportunities for me to be here in the United States.”
The program at Burke Elementary emphasizes cultural integration along with language learning, helping students incorporate Spanish into their everyday lives while gaining valuable linguistic skills.
“The studies and investigations show that if they start before five years old or in the first year, they can develop all four skills of the language— reading, writing, listening, and speaking very fluently,” Rio explained.
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, Rio says the celebration of culture continues year-round in her classroom.
“We teach about culture during this heritage month,” she said. “We talk about the other countries, we talk about the food. We just don’t do it this month. We carry traditions through the whole entire year, especially at the school.”
