Teaching philosophy

My fundamental educational philosophy is that language learning should be curiosity-driven, active, enjoyable, and emphasize student thinking and self-expression. Language must be taught in the context of culture, and it is therefore the responsibility of a Spanish professor to have as broad a knowledge of the Hispanic world as possible. I have lived in Chile and have had extensive experience traveling and conducting research in Argentina, Chile, as well as Spain. As a bicultural individual, and a native of Chile, transmitting the richness of the Hispanic culture to my students is also of utmost importance to me. My experiences enable me to share with students the tremendous heterogeneity of the Spanish-speaking world. All of the materials I gather on my research trips are utilized in the classroom to make the learning experience as authentic as possible for my students.

I try to connect learning to students' achievements, values, goals, and expectations. Learning styles are different and the instructor must serve as a facilitator, flexibly adjusting his/her own manner in order to reach all students to the greatest extent possible. I have always made it a point to find out from students at the beginning of a course what exactly their particular goals are related to the class in order for them to begin to set into motion the accomplishment of these goals. I highlight individual talents and tap into each student's strengths in order to personalize the experience for him/her. This stems in part from my belief that teaching will be enhanced if the student is curiosity-driven. The greater the curiosity, the quicker the learning will take place.

Teaching and learning are give-and-take situations and a class is only as good as its teacher. I find it a great pleasure to guide my students individually and as a group, and believe that this pleasure communicates itself to them, resulting in eagerness to learn. Teaching, above all else, brings me great joy. My ultimate goal is that students finish my classes as keen observers of global cultures, insightful about themselves and their learning, informed and knowledgeable across the disciplines, and active participants in the community.