CRISTINA
SPANISH & ENGLISH
TEACHER
Hello
Here's who I am and what I do
Born somewhere in la Mancha (in a place whose name I do not care to remember…), I have a lifelong affair with learning. And as a London resident for the better part of the last decade, I became bilingual by immersion. Now, I’m putting my passion for mnemotechnics, metalearning and gaming to your service so you can learn Spanish online in a way that makes sense to you. I offer you a safe, intersectional space where you can grow and learn at your own pace - playfully, and with plenty of terrible puns.
The classes
Structure
Lessons are carried out online via Skype or Zoom, mainly, and are one hour long. The first one, a mix of a consultation and unstructured lesson, is free.
Homework, if provided, is treated as strictly optional and corrected and returned outside class time frames.
The focus and materials used for class depend on the requirements and resources of each student. For example if they have a book for a specific course. I generally like creating content and try to do so on demand and with learners' preferences and needs in mind.
Methodology
My approach to the teaching method could be understood as a "collage" , taking a bit of everything to create something rich and dynamic. I am constantly researching and implementing different ways of approaching a subject, in order to keep my "toolbox" healthy and updated.
Some of the key elements I always keep in mind, independently of the choice of methodology or focus:
Practice.
I believe that, as Machado said, "The path is made by walking," so I strive to create as many opportunities for learners to assume an active role as much as possible, rather than just sitting and listening.
Gamification.
The letter, with fun enters. As a keen gamer, I feel very strongly about this. The results tend to be great, and the studies being done on the subject are rather promising.
Feedback.
I try my best to nurture a healthy flow of communication, and check with learners often, to see if and how things are working out.
Ethos
My values are very important to me, as is bringing them into what I do. I believe even the smaller things carry a lot of potential, like seeds.
Here are some relevant core values that I strive to bring into class:
Kindness
It is important for me to choose and receive kindness. We never know and a bit of care can go a long way. I am not immune to a bad day, but I want to enable and inhabit a safe space, a low-pressure environment with a lot of understanding. I am here to be a coach, a facilitator and a cheerleader.
Respect
It can sound vague, or seem simple or obvious. We have been learning in increasing depth that it can be neither. In my books, respect has to do a lot with consent, choice of words and actions, with accountability, boundaries, learning and understanding beyond our own walls and ego.
Community
All the above are part of some of the components necessary to build and strengthen communities. I personally have a strong belief that nurturing the community it is nurturing oneself. Community as in anything and anyone surrounding oneself - the space inhabited, resources taken from common ground, and other sentient beings connected through material space and time.
Diversity
Most things in existence display an incredible and amazing array of expressions, in this strange, super interconnected experience we call reality. I work hard to participate of and support the deconstruction of certain standards, and strive to create a safe space for global majorities, the LGTBIQ+ community, people with limited resources, people with disabilities, chronic illnesses or lifelong conditions, etc.
Person-centred
The learner is regarded as a person, a unique individual, with all their nuances taken into account, and things adapted to their inner and outer world, needs, goals, available resources... rather than the other way around.
...and beyond!
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