At Boulder Spanish you will find some of the most passionate and knowledgeable Spanish teachers.
Paola Almeida Guerra is from Guayaquil, Ecuador. She is an avid teacher and researcher and enjoys interacting with students and colleagues at all levels. Paola holds a PhD in Environmental Science and is a professor at ESPOL in her home country as well as at CU as a visitor scholar. In addition to her zeal for the environment, Paola is very passionate about teaching Spanish and guiding Spanish learners on their way to acquiring the necessary skills to practice this beautiful language in their personal and professional lives. Paola enjoys traveling and has found intercultural experiences gained from international travel to be some of the most enriching of her life.
Ana Jurado is from Spain. She holds a bachelor´s degree in Modern Languages and a master´s in Finance and Management. She teaches English and Spanish in her native country and also does it online. Ana lived in the United Kingdom and Germany where she had the opportunity to teach Spanish to a wide range of people. She is passionate about teaching languages and always encourages students to stay positive and motivated towards learning. She is currently learning French and hopes she will be able to teach this beautiful language in the future. Ana likes, among other things, reading, swimming and having a glass of wine with her friends at a “tapas” bar.
David Cooley’s love affair with the Spanish language began in the predominately Latin neighborhoods of central, west coast Florida where he first grew up. Later this passion would take root and blossom, working as a professional chef in the restaurant industry. As he has continued to transition out of the kitchen, his focus has shifted towards work that is more focused on teaching Spanish, community outreach, and social justice. This shift in focus was inspired by the many years spent working side by side with his Spanish speaking coworkers, witnessing firsthand the racism and inequality that they unjustly endured because of their minority status. As he has come to understand that the unjust social dynamics that exist in the world of professional kitchens are a reflection of larger social patterns, he continues to be motivated to promote cultural bridge building through the medium of teaching language.
David brings an approach to teaching Spanish that is aimed at fostering the development of students’ personal values and sense of purpose in the world. Through a unique, interactive approach—infused with humor and enthusiasm—he presents information within the context of conversation, which greatly enhances the student’s ability to learn and retain material learned in class. He seeks to inspire students to become emotionally invested in the process of learning Spanish by challenging them to examine and articulate their beliefs and values through the medium of the language. If you have ever been frustrated in the past with Spanish classes that have left you feeling unable to use what you’ve learned, or have been overwhelmed by the mechanical memorization of lists of phrases without proper context or application, then you owe it to yourself to give one of his classes a try!
Christian Tun es maestro en Ciencias Biológicas por el Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán y estudiante de Maestría en Liderazgo y Educación en Enseña por México. Interesado en temas de educación ambiental, cultura y sociedad. Ha realizado publicaciones de botánica y cultura en diferentes revistas científicas nacionales e internacionales. Desde el inicio de su carrera profesional ha incursionado en proyectos comunitarios participando como voluntario en diferentes proyectos en México, Estados Unidos y Guatemala. Actualmente es Interventor educativo en Ciudad Juárez Chihuahua y facilita conversatorios de español para angloparlantes en Boulder Spanish School.
Jose Useche was born in Venezuela. For many years, he worked as a professor and researcher at two universities in Caracas. His main goal is to encourage students and ensure they speak and write excellent Spanish. He believes that a strong language foundation introduces students to a new body of learning. Because of this, Jose has dedicated his career to teaching and learning. Jose’s experience in teaching Spanish includes tutoring undergraduate and graduate students, training teachers at the elementary, secondary and university levels, and helping professionals improve their Spanish. Jose has also worked as a curriculum consultant for a number of years to help improve training and academic programs. Jose holds a Master’s Degree in Administration and Curriculum from Gonzaga University (Spokane, WA) and a Doctorate in Education from the Pedagogical University (UPEL) of Caracas, Venezuela. He was a Fulbright Fellow at Gonzaga University. He has written a number of books including El Salmón del Pacífico que Retornó al Océano, el Ciclo de la Vida. Jose moved to Boulder in 2016, relocating from Seattle. He enjoys traveling, hiking and swimming. He has a passion for education and helping others.
Boulder Spanish teacher and director Varón Osorio is from Mérida, Yucatán, México. He is a bilingual educator, artist, and entrepreneur who has mastered the art of teaching both the English and Spanish languages. At a young age, he was initiated in Latin and classical Greek etymology and followed a career in teaching both Spanish and English. He has now accumulated twenty years of experience and has taught thousands of students from over forty nations in elementary schools, junior and senior high schools, universities, and many private language schools in both the United States and Mexico.