La Profesora Inspiradora

I have 8 years of experience teaching language, literature, and culture courses at the college level. I also worked in an elementary school for 3 years, 2 of which I spent as the librarian for students in K-6, and one of which I spent teaching Spanish for students pK-6.

I use a proficiency-based approach to foreign language teaching, and incorporate authentic cultural materials into my lessons. I believe in an immersion experience, so I teach 100% in the target language. I think humor and fun are essential ingredients in a positive classroom experience, so I create activities that are engaging and entertaining while still being challenging and meaningful. When students step through my doors, they never know if they'll have to impersonate a chicken, have a paper fight, or dance to horrible 80s music, but they always know they'll have fun and do it all in Spanish!

Awards: Catherine Ham Memorial Award, University of Chicago, 2007 Emilie Watts McVea Scholar, Sweet Briar College, 2001-2004 W. Edward Overly Award in Spanish, Sweet Briar College, 2004 Rickards Scholar, Sweet Briar College, 2001 Honor Society Memberships: Phi Beta Kappa Sigma Delta Pi, National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society Iota Sigma Pi, National Honor Society for Women in Chemistry Alpha Lambda Delta, National Honor Society for First-Year Students

MA, MPhil, PhD in Spanish, Yale University; MA in Humanities, University of Chicago; BA in Spanish and Chemistry, Sweet Briar College

I am a happily married mother of a 5 year old and I love to have fun! In my spare time, I love to get lost in a good book or exercise, and I am fascinated by fonts.