Naida Saavedra
PhD, Latin American Literature and Spanish
Education is essential for success, and as a graduate student obtaining her PhD in Latin American Literature, Naida Saavedra stands firmly to this idea. Her aspiration is to become a college professor and to improve the institution of higher learning with her contributions to the field, whether large or small. Naida believes that knowledge of physical geography and cultural variances are overlooked in education. Naida hopes to revive the importance of global knowledge which she deems vital for learning.
Naida, born in Venezuela, obtained her masters degree in Interactive Communication and Spanish from Florida State University in 2004. She then spent two years teaching Spanish in Miami, Florida, to youth in grades pre-k through eighth. Even with the wide range in ages of her pupils, many of her students revealed a lack of global understanding, particularly on the geography of Spanish speaking countries. Naida believes that results in the students having difficulty in understanding their heritage, home country, and surrounding nations. Although ninety percent of students in Miami are Hispanic, Naida was astonished that many were confused or misguided about their own ethnic identity. She wanted to give the students an opportunity to improve on their education by developing a solid understanding of the physical and cultural geography of Spanish speaking countries. All of this persuaded Naida to pursue her doctoral degree at Florida State University.
As a graduate student here at Florida State, Naida also serves as a T.A. teaching Spanish I,II, and III. She was also selected among other graduate students to teach the course, Cultures in Latin America. Naida keeps her classes interesting by making them interactive. She incorporates the internet, visuals, and audio into her Spanish classes. Often, the books required do not include the variances of vocabularies within the different countries. So Naida provides her students with country specific vocabulary to help enhance their knowledge of cultures. Naida always integrates Hispanic holidays in relation to the familiar ones celebrated here in Tallahassee, creating a balance in appreciation of different cultures. Naida also maintains a website for her students, which serves as a virtual class room. It provides free access to the activities she creates for her courses. It can be found at www.naida-classroon.com.
Recently, Naida was featured on WFSU radio when they stopped in on her African American Literature class. When asked why she decided to take the course, Naida explained that Latin American literature is heavily influenced by African American work. African Americans were the first to develop a literary reputation as a minority and, subsequently, gave Latin writers the motivation and inspiration to integrate their own cultures into American literature. By understanding African American literature, Naida can further understand her own studies.
Naida truly has a global perspective, both in her own education and in educating others.