Children can have enjoyable studying Spanish with ‘Aprende with Señora Betty’ | WUWM 89.7 FM

If you might have a toddler in your life, you’ve most likely heard of Ms. Rachel: She has billions of views on YouTube, the place her movies and songs deal with preschool expertise.

But do you know Milwaukee has its personal early literacy icon? Her identify is Señora Betty.

Aprende with Señora Betty is a bilingual early literacy program. Betty Suárez created this system for teenagers to study Spanish via storytelling, singing, dancing, crafts and extra! As a part of her program, Suárez posts weekly instructional movies to her YouTube page and hosts weekly community events.

Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez spoke with Suárez about her program and the way studying a brand new language can deliver households collectively.

This interview has been edited and condensed for size and readability.

Xcaret Nuñez: You began Aprende with Señora Betty in January 2025. What impressed you to begin this program round that point in your life?

Betty Suárez: As a Nicaraguan immigrant on this nation, language and my tradition are so vital to me. So I wish to be sure that it is also carried on with my youngsters. I solely communicate Spanish to my little ones as a result of my husband would not communicate Spanish. He solely speaks English to the little ones, so I had to verify I communicate Spanish to them. And we’d go to all of the story time occasions at libraries and at museums, and my five-year-old was like, “How come we can’t sing La Vaca Lola?” which is a quite common music for little ones in Latin America. He was additionally like, “How come we can’t read stories in Spanish?” And I’m the type of particular person the place if there’s an issue or a spot, I attempt to fill it in, and that is what I did. Because for me it is so vital for my little ones to listen to Spanish outdoors the house, and never simply from me, proper? And I wish to make it enjoyable, and for them to really feel proud and comfy talking Spanish wherever they go and be a part of their tradition. So I got here up with this program in 2025 — it began small, and it has grown. There are plenty of households in comparable conditions that wish to expose a bit of one to Spanish. And this system isn’t solely bilingual, however it’s additionally bicultural. I put that little sazón, that rhythm that identifies us Latinos, as a result of we dance to merengue and salsa, and we use devices so little youngsters can use their gross motor expertise as effectively.

You publish a brand new video each week and infrequently have weekly studying occasions locally. Can you describe the completely different matters you cowl and the way you educate them?

Yeah, so folks say I’m in every single place — I’m on the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, espresso outlets, boutique shops. I simply wish to make sure that I unfold my language pleasure in every single place. How matters are determined, all of it is determined by the month; In October, I attempt to do the Día de los Muertos theme wherever I’m. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations developing from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 are going to be devoted to that. It all is determined by the month. Right now in August, I’m doing back-to-school, de regreso a clase, to get the little ones prepared and comfy with going again to highschool. So I attempt to be sure that the matters within the books are gonna be significant for the little ones and their households — like studying tips on how to make buddies, sharing and being form.

Can you speak about the way you educate kids Spanish, since you’re not simply studying a guide; you are very interactive.

Yeah, so once I was an undergrad, I at all times wished to be an actress. So that is my alternative, I assume, to do it in a special, enjoyable manner for little ones. I take advantage of completely different voices to seize little ones’ consideration — you need to be partaking. I additionally ask them to say phrases again to me in Spanish when I’m studying. When I say a phrase in Spanish, I level my finger at my mouth to allow them to see the way it’s being pronounced. Then I put my hand by my ear so that they know that I’m ready for them to say the phrase again to me. When it involves singing and dancing, we use devices. I inform them forward of time the completely different phrases we’re studying from the music, and I take advantage of completely different gestures to allow them to join the phrase with the signal. For instance, we sing head, shoulders, knees, and toes in Spanish. Especially for the little ones who don’t communicate Spanish at house, and even for many who may reside in a bilingual house, they will join what a phrase means.

Your content material is a manner for kids and their households to study Spanish for the primary time. But how can it additionally assist kids and households keep related to their Hispanic or Latino tradition?

Yes, this was essential for me too. As a Hispanic/Latina mother, I would like my youngsters to really feel happy with their Latino/Hispanic tradition. I be sure that I learn books which are printed by Latino writers and illustrators, and in addition books which have characters that seem like them. Because for me, rising up, I did not have plenty of that. I wish to be sure that my little ones and all of the little ones that come to my story time see themselves. Representation is big — If they see themselves in a guide, they’re like, “That could be me; I can write a book!” So for me, that’s so enormous, not solely to learn these tales that characterize us, however to have occasions too. I actually attempt to be sure that we embrace our Latino tradition for everybody to study extra about it. And for many who are of a Hispanic/Latino background, I would like them to really feel proud to point out their roots, their tradition, their language, their dances, their music in public locations, as a result of it is one factor to do it at house, however it’s an entire completely different feeling when the little ones do it in public locations. They really feel accepted and welcome — particularly within the occasions that we’re residing in. I wish to make each household and each kiddo that involves my story time really feel welcome, really feel cherished, really feel accepted, they usually can communicate no matter language they need as a result of it’s a welcoming place.

Families can go to Aprende with Señora Betty and be a part of bilingual story time on the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum each Friday at 10 a.m. You can even go to Aprende with Señora Betty at First Stage’s manufacturing of Go Dog Go! / Ve Perro ¡Ve! On Saturday, Oct. 17 at 3:30 p.m.