The purpose of life is to discover your gift.
The work of life is to develop it.
The meaning of life is to give your gift away.
-David Viscott
About me
I'm a highly qualified Spanish Instructor with 25 years of experience in the classroom and leadership in the educational community, turned Instructional Coach and Instructional Designer. I love the quote above (often incorrectly attributed to Pablo Picasso) because it speaks to both the learner and the instructor in me. My gift is teaching others, my life's work has been developing that gift in all kinds of different iterations, and the meaning of my life is to share it with others through instruction and training of children and adults. As an Instructional Coach and an Instructional Designer, you can trust me to personalize and customize learning experiences to help you discover and develop YOUR gift.
Why you can trust me with your project:
💡 I'm a life-long learner and welcome new challenges and opportunities for growth! Your questions, feedback and reviews as a client will help me to grow and improve.
📖 As a highly experienced educator and mentor, I'm knowledgeable about theories and best practices for pedagogy and andragogy, such as (UDL) Universal Design for Learning, (CRT) Culturally Responsive Teaching, DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) and more.
👥 I'm all about relationships! They are the center of all teaching and learning. I'm a skilled collaborator and team worker, and equity, inclusion and community building are central to how I approach any group interaction.
👩🏽💻 I'm a resourceful and flexible designer of learning experiences. If I don't have the information or resources I need to complete a project, I am adept at researching and mining my connections and experiences to solve the problem.
🌎 I have wide-ranging interests and hobbies that often intersect with my work: flamenco dance, photography, cultural exchange and travel, and travel writing are some of the ways I spend my free time.
Educational and Training Background
2021: Certification of Completion, LinkedIn Learning Learning Path: "Become an Instructional Designer"
2018: Máster para la enseñanza y aprendizaje de la lengua española y su cultura. (Master in Teaching and Learning the Spanish Language and Culture)
Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
1996: Master of Education: Curriculum and Instruction
Portland State University, Portland, OR
1991: Bachelor of Arts: Spanish and International Studies
Macalester College, St. Paul, MN
2020: TESOL Certificate, 120 hour
Uni-Prep Institute