On this podcast episode of “the Making of a Teacher” Josh Nelson sits down with beloved Latin teacher Jennie “Parwa” Luongo in her Latin classroom to talk about her life as a student, how she fell in love with the Classics, and in particular, Latin, and how she found her way to Saint Andrew’s.  Jennie talks with Josh about growing up in Texas, but with parents who wanted her to know about her roots in Virginia thus she spent her summers escaping the Texas summers and spending time in Virginia with relatives.  Jennie discusses her high school experience as a budding Latin student and member of her school’s Color Guard. Ms. Luongo’s Latin students will not be surprised to hear that she was especially close to her high school Latin teacher.  This very meaningful relationship in Ms. Luongo’s life inspired her to establish long-lasting and meaningful relationships with her Latin students.  

In College, Ms. Luongo furthered her Latin studies but missed the closeness with her professors she experienced in high school.  For Ms. Luongo, once she entered college, there was no question she was going to teach Latin one day.  Saint Andrew’s was lucky to snag Ms. Luongo right out of college, and we have been thanking our lucky stars every day since!  

Ms. Luongo and Josh talked about her philosophy of teaching Latin, and the benefits that being a graduate student affords her as a teacher.