More About Me
I am currently working as a Long-Term Substitute for the Lower School Spanish Teacher at Annie Wright Schools, a private, boarding school in Tacoma, WA which is part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. I work to create dynamic, engaging Spanish lessons for students from preschool to 5th grade which align with the IB’s learner-centered “Units of Inquiry” for the Primary Years Program (PYP). It brings me immense joy to see young learners having fun while also developing a love for the Spanish language.
Before moving to Tacoma, WA, I worked as an ESL Instructor at the Institute of Intensive English (IIE)
in Honolulu, HI, where I taught English to adult speakers of other languages from all over the world, at all levels of the CEFR scale. During this time, I did several rounds as the Cambridge First Certificate Exam (FCE) preparation course instructor, taught one-on-one and small group classes in Business English and TOEFL Exam prep courses, and developed curricular materials to add rigor and engagement to the C1 (Low Advanced) course. I made many lasting connections with students from all over the world and learned a lot about life in other countries, as well as how other cultures conceive of and construct meaning in the world. It was really wonderful to be able to share in these students’ language-learning journeys and help them have the most enriching experience possible in the Land of Aloha.
During this time, I also spent over a year living and teaching in Colombia and really enjoyed having the opportunity to explore the natural beauty and cultural wealth of this incredible country. Again, I made many lasting friendships and am very grateful to the people I met there for helping me on my journey towards learning Spanish and giving me a broader perspective on what life is like in different parts of the world. I am now fluent in Spanish and enjoy teaching it as a foreign language, as well as helping to introduce young people to the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
My language learning journey has not stopped there, and I am currently working on Portuguese and Korean, as well as exploring Russian and Ukrainian. After completing my M.S. degree in Learning Design & Technology, I look forward to having more time to dedicate to these hobbies and I am excited about the possibilities for connection and adventure that exploring these languages might open up. In addition to travel and connecting with speakers of other languages, gamified learning apps like Drops and Duolingo have helped me to explore languages of interest and practice in my free time. I would love the opportunity to design, develop, and test similar digital tools for language learning.
For more on my interests and personal life, please check out this video I made for Dr. Hatten’s EME 6209: Digital Video course, which tells “The Story of ME.”