Aprende sobre África: ¡Banderas y nombres en español! (Niños)

I am a graduate of the University of Toronto Peace and Conflict Studies program (now Peace, Conflict and Justice), with a specialization in African Studies, and minors in Spanish and East Asian Studies. In addition to Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, I have also studied French extensively. I am fluent in French and Spanish, and have worked in French- and Spanish-speaking locations, including within Africa, Europe and Latin America; where I have also had the privilege of being exposed to cultural experiences in various expressions of the African Diaspora.

Later work and study also involved writing/publishing, filmmaking and mental health, which have influenced my perspectives and forms of expression.

I bring all of these aspects of my work and former study to my teaching and combine them with my passion for travel and intercultural cooperation, knowledge and understanding, which I hope to share with my learners along the way.  

Given my own ancestry and interests, the intersection leads to a deep interest in the African Diaspora across the globe and learning more about these communities. I have also explored the Chinese/Asian diaspora, and diversity in general, in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa - at the intersection of African diasporic identity. 

I have been teaching and mentoring independently in a casual capacity for almost twenty years, via tutoring, management of tutoring teams and event volunteers, and designing and instructing language classes, cultural events, or industry training and mentorship. However, alongside filmmaking, teaching has become a main aspect of my activities in the last few years. 

I believe that in order to uncover their 'passions', students must feel a connection to the material they are learning in a way that feels personal. I hope to present information to my students in a way that they can find new connections with languages and global histories that they may not have been exposed to before, and hopefully inspire curiosity for further growth and learning, which can lead to greater expansion in an area of interest to them. 

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Here is some coverage about the African-themed classes for more information about them:
https://vitadaily.ca/2022/02/23/helping-kids-learn-about-black-history/

https://outschool.com/blog/black-history-educators/