Consultant for bilingual education
Conseillère en éducation bilingue
helping to launch a brand-new program
working with schools to further develop and strengthen their well-established programs
supporting teachers to find the most effective methods to reach their multilingual learners
How I can support bilingual and multilingual communities, educators, administrators, and families:
Launching a new bilingual program
As a proud founding member of the first French/English dual-language program in a New York City public school, I collaborated with school leaders, fellow teachers, key community members, and families to grow what was first a class of only 24 kindergarteners into hundreds of successful bilingual graduates who have gone on to study in middle schools, high schools, and universities.
“Monolingualism is the illiteracy of the 21st century.”
— Gregg Roberts, language immersion specialist and innovator
Bilingual programs maintain native languages and cultures, enrich the lives of children and families, and build bridges between groups.
Studies show that students in bilingual programs outperform their monolingual peers academically as time goes on.
Multilingual adults experience many cognitive benefits thanks to their language skills, especially as they grow older.
“Mme Patterson possède des compétences pédagogiques exceptionnelles. Elle a su créer un environnement d'apprentissage stimulant et inclusif pour tous les élèves de l'école. Son engagement envers l'éducation bilingue est indéniable et elle a réussi à susciter chez les enfants un véritable enthousiasme pour la découverte linguistique .... Dans l'ensemble, je suis convaincu que Mme Greer Patterson serait un atout précieux pour tout établissement scolaire cherchant à développer un programme bilingue de qualité.”
— Annique Leman, directrice adjointe, PS 58 à Brooklyn, New York
Refreshing and supporting existing bilingual programs
A successful bilingual program needs nurturing. Communities grow and change. New teachers call for mentors. Experienced teachers want fresh ideas.
My mentoring philosophy is based firmly in reflection: helping educators to look back on their own work so that they can improve their practice long after I’m gone.
As programs develop, the needs of students and families may change. What once worked is now old hat.
I am here to help.
“So much of the value Greer brings to our community is grounded in her ability to connect with students, parents, and colleagues; these traits are essential when working in a school community.”
— Stephen Cedermark, Assistant Principal, PS 58 in Brooklyn, NY
“In Greer’s role as my new-teacher mentor, she shared a myriad of both pragmatic suggestions and lesson ideas as well as invaluable guidance to help inform my own teaching philosophies. Her attentiveness in creating and sharing developmentally appropriate curricula has greatly shaped my own teaching practice and has made me a more effective educator. Her encouragement to reflect on my own teaching has allowed me to be patient with my growth and has motivated me to continually search for ways in which I can be ever-more purposeful with my instruction and classroom management.”
— John Blevins, Lower Music Teacher, PS 58 in Brooklyn, NY
Matching multilingual learners to successful strategies
All children are language learners. As they are building vocabulary and syntax in their native language(s), they are often easily adept at exploring new sounds and words. But there are many methods to learn a new language; some risk-taking personalities will thrive in an immersive environment, and others will prefer to have their hand held as they step into those new shoes.
What about students who are new to the English language in the United States, or to the majority language of your community? What if their teacher does not speak their heritage language? Educators need effective strategies to build a connection and facilitate communication with these multilingual learners.
Finding the fun to make it happen
No boring grammar lessons allowed.
Languages are living, breathing, changing things that invite conversation and connection. Language learning should be purposeful and engaging. I’m here to help you find the way to do it.
