Education

M.A., Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language, Menéndez Pelayo International University & Cervantes Institute (expected May 2022)

M.A., Spanish and Linguistics, West Virginia University (2013)

Certificate in University Teaching, West Virginia University (2013)                                            

M.A., English as a Foreign Language, University of Murcia, Murcia (Spain) (2008)

B.A., Translation and Interpretation, University Jaume I, Castellón (Spain) (2007)

Areas of Interests in Teaching

Students’ Metacognition Pedagogy: Reflective Thinking, Development of Learning Strategies, Setting of Learning Goals, Awareness of Self and Target Culture 

Contemplative Sciences Pedagogy: Uses in the Foreign Language Class to Reduce Stress and Anxiety, Improvement of Self-Efficacy Believes, Development of Gratitude and Compassion 

Student Centered Pedagogy: Gamification, Universal Design, Collaborative Learning, Increasing Students’ Motivation, Creation of Meaningful Interpersonal Experiences, Equity in and outside the Classroom, Attention to Diversity, Inclusive Teaching, Connection with Personal and Interdisciplinary Interests, Integrated Performance Assessments, Multiple Intelligences, Cognitive Grammar

Teaching

University of Virginia (2013-current)

• Span 3010: Grammar and Composition I
• Span 2020: Advanced Intermediate Spanish
• Span 2010: Intermediate Spanish
• Span 1020: Elementary Spanish 
• Span 1010: Initial Spanish

West Virginia University (2011-2013)

• Span 101: Beginner Spanish
• Span 203: Intermediate Spanish
• Span 204: Advanced Intermediate Spanish

Other Teaching Experience

Middle and High School Spanish Teacher, Youngstown City Schools (2008-2011)

• Span I: Spanish for Beginners I
• Span II: Spanish for Beginners II

English Instructor, English Summer School, Valencia, Spain (2008)

Language Courses Organizer: Academia Suárez Language House, Frankfurt, Germany (2007)

Selected Professional Development 

• C3 Design, Center for Teaching Excellence, U. of Virginia, June 2020 
• Virtual Teaching for Fall: Exploring Possibilities, Learning Design & Technology, U. of Virginia, May 2020
• Facilitated Experience: Creating Well-Paced, Socially Connected Summer Courses, Center for Teaching Excellence, U. of Virginia, May 2020
• VoiceThread and Flipgrid: Tools for Speaking Assignments in Virtual Courses, Learning Design & Technology, U. of Virginia, May 2020
• UVa Collab Tests and Quizzes Overview, Learning Design & Technology, U. of Virginia, May 2020 
• Intro to Zoom for Interactive Class Sessions, Learning Design & Technology, U. of Virginia, May 2020 
• Teaching Equitability in a Crisis, Center for Teaching Excellence, U. of Virginia, April 2020
• Teaching through a Pandemic: A Space for Reflection and Sharing, Center for Teaching Excellence, U. of Virginia, April 2020 
• Development of Teaching Competences, Cervantes Institute, April-May 2020 
• How to do Group and Pair Work in the Online Classroom?,  Institute of World Languages - Online Teaching Series, U. of Virginia, April 2020 
• Cultivating Compassionate Teaching during the Coronavirus,  Contemplative Mind in Higher Education, April 2020
• How We are Teaching Online: Tips and Strategies for Effective Course (Re)design, Institute of World Languages - Online Teaching Series, U. of Virginia, April 2020 
• Assessment in Virtual Language Teaching: An Open Sharing Session for UVA Language Instructors, Learning Design & Technology, U. of Virginia, March 2020 
• Conversation about Embodied and Experiential in an Online Environment, Center for Teaching Excellence, U. of Virginia, March 2020

Selected presentations

• Incorporating Contemplative Practices in College Language Courses: A Common Approach with Different Pathways, presented at Contemplative Practices in Higher Education Conference, Roanoke, VA, March 2020 
• Implementing Virtual Reality in Language Classrooms, presented at Institute of World Languages Roundtable, U. of Virginia, February 2020
• Uses of E-portfolio and Contemplative Pedagogy, Group Discussion, presented at Digi(cation) Con(ference), U. of Virginia, November 2019
• Virtual Reality: 3600 pictures and videos with Google Cardboard, presented at the U. of Virginia Teaching with Technology Summit, U. of Virginia, October 2019 
• E-Portfolio Reflections: Meaning Making Tools to Enrich the Learning Experience, presented at AAEEBL SE Regional Conference, University of Virginia, November 2017.
• E-Portofolio: Usos y aplicaciones prácticas en la clase de ELE a la hora de dar retroalimentación, ProfedeEle Summit, Valencia, Spain, July 2017
• Mobilizing Peer Feedback and e-Portfolios for Powerful Collaborative Learning, presented at V Innovations in Pedagogy Summit, U. of Virginia, May 2017
• Table Games in the Classroom, presented at Immersion Weekend for Spanish High School Teachers, West Virginia University, April 2013
• The Madrid Scene, presented at Meetings of Instituto Cervantes in Academia Suárez Language School, Frankfurt, Germany, October 2007

Grants and Awards (at UVa) 

• Grant from Institute of World Languages for Spanish Tertulia, University of Virginia (2017-present)

Involvement at UVa:

• General Faculty Council Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Fall 2020-2023
• Span 2010 Co-coordinator, Fall 2020-Spring 2023 
• Contemplative Research & Scholarship Community, Fall 2019 - present 
• Contemplative Teaching & Learning Faculty Community, Fall 2019 - present
• Co-organizer: XXXVIII Congreso y Asamblea de ALDEEU: Thomas Jefferson y el universo hispano. 
• Co-organizer of the Spanish, Italian, & Portuguese (SIP) Film Festival
• Co-organizer of the Spanish Cultural Weekly Newsletter
• Co-organizer of the Spanish Tertulia
• Training from 'Safe Space'
• Training from 'DREAMers on Grounds: UndocuAlly'
• Implicit Bias Intervention Workshop.
• Diversity Dialogues Workshop
• Survivor Support Network Training

Professional Organizations

• Sigma Delta Pi
• ACTFL
• AATSP

Certifications 

DELE Examiner: A1-A2, A2-B1 Scholar, B1-B2, C1-C2