The Truth Be Told: "Bilingual? Nope, Bi-Cursive!”

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Dr. Gina Pepin returns with another classroom story guaranteed to make you smile! If you think being bilingual is impressive, wait till you meet Michael—he reads and writes only in cursive, thanks to Dad’s legacy. In this episode, you’ll laugh and reflect on how our students’ experiences with literacy can be as diverse—and curly—as their handwriting.

Join Dr. Pepin for a heartfelt reminder that the quirks our students bring to class are windows into their family histories—and into the joyful, unexpected lessons we get to learn right alongside them.

Check out more at www.ginapepin.com

#TeacherLife #LiteracyJourney #BilingualKids #CursiveWriting #ClassroomStories #FamilyLegacy #UnexpectedLessons #TeachingJoy #DiverseLearners #ReadingIsFun #StudentVoices #EducationMatters
#ParentTeacherConnections #EduHumor #CelebrateDifferences
#LanguageLearning #TeachersOfInstagram #PodcastEpisode #Edutalk #LearnWithJoy #LetsTalkTeachertoTeacher #JoyfulReadingApproach #MiEducator #TruthBeTold 

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:12):
Welcome back to Let's Talk Teacher to Teacher,
the podcast where we share themeaningful moments that remind
us why we love teaching.
I'm Dr.
Gina Peppen and today's episodeis a story that blends language,
family, and a little bit ofhumor.
It starts with a new student ofmine who shared something with
me that opened a window into hisworld, and what I learned from

(00:33):
it left me reflecting on how thesmall moments can sometimes make
the biggest impact.
This particular student, let'scall him Michael, had recently
joined our class, and during aconversation about the languages
spoken in his home, something hesaid completely caught me off
guard.
It was about his dad and howthey use language at home.

(00:55):
He shared, everyone speaksfluent Spanish and English, but
I don't read or write it though.
I only read and write cursive.
Now I'll admit I was puzzled fora moment.
Cursive?
Really?
At first I wasn't sure whetherto laugh or be truly amazed.

(01:16):
Here we were talking aboutbilingualism, and Michael was
telling me he only reads andwrites in cursive.
I paused for a second and Iasked him to clarify.
He explained that his dad hadtaught him cursive at a really
young age, as a first grader,and it was the only form of
writing that felt natural tohim.

(01:36):
Michael spoke both English andSpanish fluently at home, but
when it came to reading andwriting, cursive was his go-to.
At that moment I realized therewas so much more to Michael's
statement than just an unusualpreference for cursive.
There was a deeper connection tohis dad's influence in his life.
His dad had created a bond withhim through the act of teaching

(01:58):
him cursive, an older, moretraditional form of writing.
But that connection, that act ofteaching, was something that
Michael clearly held very closeto his heart.
The lesson here wasn't justabout cursive writing.
It was about the importance offamily influence on literacy and
how sometimes the most personalsmall acts can make a huge

(02:20):
impact on a child's learning.
Michael's relationship withcursive wasn't just about the
form of writing.
It was about his dad's role inhis life.
So it was a part of their sharedexperiences, a bond they created
through this particular way ofcommunicating.
For many of our students, theirliteracy journey is not just
about the words that they readand write.

(02:41):
It's also about who taught them,who nurtured that skill, and the
memories attached to it.
Michael's statement made merealize that while we may focus
heavily on those traditionalliteracy measures like reading
and print and writing instandard fonts, we must also
recognize the significant rolethat family values and
traditions play in shaping achild's understanding of

(03:04):
language.
For Michael, his dad's teachingwas something he cherished, and
it's something we can all learnfrom as we work to understand
the different ways literacy isshaped in each child's life.
As teachers, we are often quickto look for what's standard or
what's expected.

(03:24):
But the truth is every childbrings their own unique story to
the classroom.
Michael's preference for cursivewriting wasn't something I
expected, but it was somethingthat offered a valuable lesson
in embracing the unexpected.
Sometimes we have to let go ofour preconceived notions and
really listen to what ourstudents are telling us.

(03:45):
As a teacher, I often find thatthe best learning moments come
when we least expect them.
Michael's love for cursivewriting may have seemed like a
small quirky detail at first,but it led to a powerful
conversation about family,language, and connection.
It reminded me that the way ourstudents experience literacy is

(04:05):
as diverse as their familyhistories and their personal
stories.
So as we continue to teach andsupport our students, let us
remember that literacy isn'tjust about the books we read or
the words we write.
It's about the relationships webuild, the connections we make,
and the unique stories thatshape the way our students see

(04:26):
and engage with the world.
Thanks for tuning in to today'sepisode of Let's Talk Teacher to
Teacher.
I'm Dr.
Gina Peppen, and I hopeMichael's story has inspired you
to think about the many waysliteracy can be passed down and
lived out in our students'lives.
Next time a student sharessomething unexpected, embrace

(04:47):
it.
It could be the doorway to amuch deeper understanding of who
they are and what they bring tothe classroom.
Until next time, keep fosteringcuriosity, building those
connections, and celebrating theunique ways your students
experience the world.