Primary School Faculty

Current Subject/Grade Level
Grade 4 Spanish

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2014

What year did you start teaching?
2007

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
I always loved the idea of ​​talking to people to be able to learn and teach. With students, that happens every day. While we learn, we get to know each other, share different points of view and experiences, investigate new topics, and we ask ourselves questions that lead us to new points of view. 

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
I love the culture that is breathed into the school. Hearing different languages ​​in the hallways, sharing different traditions, and having a multicultural team, in addition to the inquiry processes, the questions, the connections, and the experiences we make at school, make WIS a perfect environment for learning.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
WIS is exceptional for building learning relationships between teachers and students, validating different points of view, and valuing learning experiences.

What is something our community would find surprising or unexpected about you? 
In addition to being a teacher, I also have a diploma in journalism and communications, so in my classes there are always stories to tell, news to share, and my students like to participate in the "Sra. Bernal Show."

Current Subjects/Grade Levels
Grades 1-5 Physical Education

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2020

What year did you start teaching?
2010

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
I have always enjoyed being in a space of creativity and various learning experiences. Students who are fully engaged in a specific activity or having fun exploring a new perspective or idea is most rewarding as a teacher.

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
WIS is a very unique school community with a diverse group of students, teachers, parents and administrators. It is a warm and kind space where I feel highly valued and appreciated.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
All of the students are unique with various local and global views. I'm always fascinated about the questions they ask and how they attempt to answer them.

Is there anything else you would like our community to know about you?
I'm from Vancouver, Canada, with a Masters of Art in Education.

Current Subject/Grade Level
Grade 5 Spanish

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2008

What year did you start teaching?
1987

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
At the age of five, when I was in Kindergarten, I loved my teacher and I think she was the one who guided my decision. In elementary school, I started to play at being a teacher. I used a black painted board, my mom bought me the chalk, and my students were all around me. Later, I understood that I liked to interact and explain everything to everyone.

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
Being a teacher in Argentina, I always felt that something was missing. The educational system was not attractive, independent, comprehensive, or innovative, and no matter how hard I tried to change some things, I did not feel satisfied with what I was doing, and I could not find answers or help to find other ways or different methodologies. When I arrived in this country, and after a few years I started working at WIS, I discovered the PYP and everything changed for me and for my students. I had found the change I had been looking for and at that moment, my own learning process began. WIS means a lot to me. Here, I found a bit of my culture, my language, my customs. I love the international component at WIS. Here I can be me: a Latina proud of her roots, but accepting and learning from all the very unique people around me. Finally, as a mom, I am very glad that my only daughter has studied and graduated from WIS. That preparation gave her a fantastic foundation for her higher education. WIS is part of my life and my family.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
The exceptional part of WIS is our approach, the way we guide our students to think, reflect, discuss, analyze and take action on what they believe needs to be changed. I love the freedom with which I work and the fact that I can keep my language and my Argentine accent when I teach Spanish.

What is something our community would find surprising or unexpected about you?
When I was a kid I practiced figure skating, which required a lot of discipline, but I preferred to race and feel free with the wind in my face.

Is there anything else you would like our community to know about you?
Only that it is an honor to be working in this beautiful and particular school, where people, religions, customs, languages and races mix, creating a very harmonious environment where we all feel included and respected.

Current Subjects/Grade Levels
Grades 3, 4, & 5 Design Technology; Grade 1 Art

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2020

What year did you start teaching?
2011

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
I became a teacher by almost by accident. A friend asked me to create an art curriculum for an international after school program and I decided to share what I know with children. The difference I could make in the students' knowledge and integrity is another aspect of teaching that I really like.

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
I have always loved WIS! I lost my art teacher program and position in another private school during the first year of the pandemic, but luckily WIS needed a Design Technology and Art teacher, and I was happy to be accepted.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
WIS is exceptional in everything, with a diverse student and teacher population and a very open minded environment. Students are exceptionally knowledgeable. The many languages teachers and students speak is amazing. I love how caring everybody is to classmates or colleagues. 

What is something our community would find surprising or unexpected about you?
I was an interior designer for 10 years before becoming a teacher. One of my paintings is in the private collection of the Watergate prosecutor who still lives in DC. 

Is there anything else you would like our community to know about you?
I have lived in DC area for 23 years.

Current Subjects/Grade Levels Taught
Preschool French

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2022

What year did you start teaching?
2014

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
My father was a teacher in France and I always admired how he inspired curiosity and desire to learn with his students.

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
I value WIS's approach to encourage students to learn. I love being in the classroom and use the inquiry-based learning to teach my students. There is always room for questioning, exploring, and thinking.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
What amazes me is watching the students' French language develop significantly over the year. Some students are starting the school year with no exposure to the French language and ending the school year with the ability to start a conversation and have an understanding of the language. That journey of learning a new language is fantastic to see.

What is something our community would find surprising or unexpected about you?
I have touched a tarantula but I am afraid of balloons :-)

Current Subjects/Grade Levels
Early Years and Grade 3 Music

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2008

What year did you start teaching?
1981

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
Ever since I was a young girl, I wanted to become a teacher. I pretended to be a teacher and made my younger sister act as a student. I believe that a teacher is someone who demonstrates a principled way of living with a high morality. I also thought that teaching would be the most fun thing to do for my entire life.

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
I am always interested in diverse cultures. Ethnomusicology was included in my graduate study for that reason. WIS has allowed me to explore the world of diversity.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
Being a minority is valued at WIS and I learn so much about different cultures and music from my students and colleagues every day. WIS even offered me the opportunity to learn another foreign language, French, this year!

What is something our community would find surprising or unexpected about you?
I taught at a public elementary school in South Korea for three years before I immigrated to the United States. My daughter-in-law is Brazilian and I have a granddaughter who is learning to speak Portuguese, English, and Korean.

Current Subjects/Grade Levels
Pre-Kindergarten French

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2022

What year did you start teaching?
2011

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
At age 6, I tried to teach reading to Casimir, my grandmother's dog, and every summer after that for as long as he lived. I guess teaching was just what I was meant to do! School has always been my happy place, and teaching to younger children my passion, and I feel grateful that I get to see little learners grow everyday!

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
After working in public schools in the UK, and in international schools in Manhattan and Brooklyn, I knew the IB and the PYP were non-negotiable for me as a practitioner. Providing a context of exploration and inquiry within which to learn offers me incredible flexibility as a teacher and following the children's curiosity allows for constant surprises and growth. WIS also had the draw of being an international and multi-lingual school, which really made me feel part of the team. WIS and I felt like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzles clicking into place.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
WIS has an exceptional Primary School Leadership Team (PSLT) who is able to both challenge their teachers to achieve their best, as well as nurture their wellbeing. It allows for a demanding yet exciting and caring place to work. The collaboration with my colleagues has allowed me to be the best teacher I am able to be and I value that it is made possible to both work and laugh with my colleagues everyday.

What is something our community would find surprising or unexpected about you?
I have two superpowers: perfect pitch and sleep. I graduated from the Conservatoire at 16, and I fall asleep in under a minute.

Current Subjects/Grade Levels
Grade 1 English

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2007

What year did you start teaching?
1992 

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
My mom was an educator and so I watched her. I was also always drawn to young kids, so it was a natural choice.

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
My interest in WIS was piqued because of the IB's PYP when I was looking for a teaching job. I stay because I find the approach to learning in the PYP to be refreshing. I enjoy the international community, along with the collegiality and friendship of my co-workers. I also love to see how Grade 1 students change and grow over the course of one year. It is very rewarding.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
I find the dual language learning fascinating to watch. I can see it as a parent, watching my daughter as a member of the learning community here, and as a teacher, watching my students interact with each other and through their learning in two languages in a transdisciplinary way. I did not have the experience of learning another language until later in life, and I just feel these students are so lucky to have this opportunity. 

What is something our community would find surprising or unexpected about you?
I love to perform in musicals and was a performer from pre-elementary school through post university.

Is there anything else you would like our community to know about you?
I love to see students that I taught in the past in the activities at WIS and beyond. It is fun to see how they have grown up. I am grateful that I have spent half of my career at WIS and look forward to many more years!

Current Subject/Grade Level
Grade 2 Spanish

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2008 

What year did you start teaching?
2002

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
When I was in middle and high school, I always liked playing with kids. I had three younger siblings, so I was used to being surrounded by kids who needed help with something. After my senior year, I decided to pursue a career in educational psychology. I studied six years and graduated in 1995. Until 2001, I worked as an educational psychologist in a preschool and tutored students in all grades. While I was tutoring, I realized that teaching was my passion. Helping my students succeed was extremely comforting. I decided to switch gears in my career and here I am.

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
I studied in a school where you needed to memorize everything. There was not much time for asking questions because teachers didn't make space for students wondering about different topics. If you could memorize lots of books you succeeded, but if you couldn't you failed grades. When I read about Washington International School and the PYP program, I got super interested and kept reading information in the website. I decided to apply to WIS during the winter of 2008.

As soon as I walked into the Primary School building for my interview, I felt a part of this community already. Listening to teachers speaking other languages was fun for me. The staff was friendly and welcoming. I got the position for the upcoming school year as a Kindergarten teacher and I was extremely happy. Meeting teachers and families from different parts of the world and learning about different cultures is fascinating. Teaching in a school environment where students can ask questions that sometimes I don't know the answer to and I start looking at different resources to learn along with my students is always engaging.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
Every group of students is completely different, so my teaching and learning is different each year. I love seeing students who can transfer their knowledge between subjects because teachers create learning experiences that aim for it. Hearing parents sharing about their kids talking about the units we are teaching and initiating actions at home to change something is always gratifying.

Current Subjects/Grade Levels
Grade 3 English

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2018

What year did you start teaching?
2014

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
My child development teacher in high school nominated me for the Asian American Education Association Scholarship in Montgomery County Public Schools and I won! This was a major part in my path to becoming an educator. I became a teacher for the excitement and rewarding experience of educating young, eager minds and the family-friendly nature of the career.

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
The faculty, staff, families and students are from so many different countries (101 countries) around the world that bring in so many enriching cultures and languages.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
WIS is exceptional for its bilingual Spanish/French language program, diversity and global mindset.

What is something our community would find surprising or unexpected about you?
I am trilingual: Vietnamese, Spanish, and English.

Current Subjects/Grade Levels
Pre-Kindergarten Spanish

What year did you start teaching at WIS?
2022

What year did you start teaching?
1998

What drew you to teaching? Why did you become a teacher?
I am proud to be the third generation of teachers in my family. From a young age, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in education. As a lifelong learner, teaching has always felt like a natural fit for me. My passion for early childhood education has driven me for over 20 years, ensuring that my approach remains fun and nurturing.

Why WIS? What made you want to teach here? Why do you stay?
Working in an international school with an IB program has always been appealing to me, and WIS offers everything I always wanted. Additionally, it's located in Washington, DC, a city I truly love. Teaching at WIS in DC feels like a privilege—it's like two dreams coming true! I couldn't be happier here.

What do you find exceptional about the WIS experience, either as a teacher or what you observe in your students?
What I find truly exceptional about WIS is the nurturing approach extended to all students and their families. The administration and co-teachers are truly wonderful, creating a supportive atmosphere. While no environment is without its imperfections, WIS stands out as one of the most heartfelt places I have had the privilege to work.

What is something our community would find surprising or unexpected about you?
My family holds the title of "Marquis of Linares," which became well-known in Spain due to stories of ghosts haunting the palace years ago.