I teach Spanish and Latin American literature and culture because I believe language learning is a way for my students to build bridges and make connections across cultures, both in the U.S. as well as abroad. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart". Learning a second language can be a powerful tool in bringing humans together, and in teaching students to appreciate and respect diversity. My language teaching pedagogy is not only based on the development of all four language skills, listening, reading, writing, and speaking, but also integrates cultural knowledge. It is important for my students to know that a language does not exist in a vacuum, that they will not truly "know" a language unless they know the contexts in which it is spoken and the cultural practices of those who speak it. My goal in every class is for my students to see language learning as an asset to their future career and to their personal growth.

Telenovelas, reading, gardening, walking.