Spanish for Communication V

Gemma Dale is a native of Madrid, Spain, with over 10 years of experience teaching Spanish to high school and university students. She loves teaching all levels of Spanish and Spanish culture and helping her students improve their language skills. Gemma also loves traveling with American students to Spain and taking them to typical Spanish restaurants and cities. She earned her law degree and Master's degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in Spain. Before obtaining her California teacher credential, Gemma worked in law, finance, and international sales. She enjoys sharing her passion for Spanish language and culture with her students and feels fortunate to do something she loves. Gemma is happy living in such a diverse city like San Diego where she can experience a local culture rooted in Spanish history.
 

Maria Ramirez-Lopez, a native Spanish speaker from Mexico, has 16 years of experience teaching Spanish across various educational settings. Her career includes 7 years in high schools and 9 years at universities such as Boston University, Harvard University, Harvard Extension School, and San Diego State University. She has taught all levels of Spanish, from beginners to advanced courses like Spanish Film, AP Spanish Language, and AP Spanish Literature.

Her passion for teaching Spanish began during her undergraduate studies at San Diego State University, where she initially enrolled in Hispanic Literature courses to fulfill her world languages requirement. This experience inspired her to change her major to Spanish, with a minor in History. Originally, she was studying Business Administration and earned an Associate Degree in Accounting from Southwestern College.

Throughout her teaching career, Maria has encountered a diverse range of learning styles. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes creating a productive and engaging learning environment by employing various techniques, methods, and materials that foster a sense of belonging among students.