Welcome to Ana García de Jalón, the new Director of the Center for Spanish Studies.
Born in Zaragoza, close to the Pyrenees in northeastern Spain, García de Jalón attended Zaragoza University where she got masters degrees in Spanish and English. She spent a year in London and a year in Ireland working as a Language Assistant. “I then spent three years in Santa Fe, New Mexico as an exchange teacher,” said García de Jalón, “bringing my family with me. It was a terrific experience for all of us.” Since arriving in Seattle just a month and a half ago, García de Jalón said, “I have met a lot of great people who are always ready to help me with anything I need.”
In the short time she has been here, García de Jalón has hit the ground running with activities and events sponsored by the Center.
Here are a few examples of recent activities sponsored and made possible by the Center:
- September 9: The Center for Spanish Studies met with this year’s Teaching Assistants to explain the activities the Center provides to students and teachers of the Spanish language as well as the programs run by Spain’s Department of Education in the United States.
- September 20: World acclaimed Galician musician, Carlos Nuñez, performed at Town Hall, an event organized by Fernando Esteban, Consul of Spain. Nuñez, a multi-instrumentalist, plays the gaita, the traditional Galician bagpipe, Galician flute, ocarina, Irish flute, whistle and low whistle.
- September 20: Carlos Nuñez taught a master class at Puesta del Sol Elementary, in Bellevue. Students enjoyed an unforgettable lesson from renowned Galician classical musician, Nuñez.
- September 23: The Center for Spanish Studies collaborated with Dustin Kaspar, Education Programs Manager for the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) to work on the Spanish educational component of the festival.
- On September 26, the Center welcomed the new Language Assistant, Rocío Chueco, from Jaén Spain who is leading Tertulias for 100-, 200- and 300-flevel students, on Thursday and Fridays.
- October 9 – 11: The WAFLT-COFLT (Washington Association For Language Teaching-Confederation in Oregon for Language Teaching) Conference 2014, included workshops provided by national and regional leaders in language teaching. The Center provided information about programs run by the Department of Education in Spain in the U.S.
- October 25: Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca presented Antígona, as part of the UW World Series season. Sponsors included Accion Educativa Española, Boeing and the New England Foundation for the Arts.
- November 15: A workshop for teachers of Spanish at UW called, "Flipping the classroom" will be led by Sabrina Spannagel, Teaching Associate and First Year Language Coordinator.
UW’s Center for Spanish Studies, one of twelve in the U.S. and Canada, is a cooperative venture between the University of Washington, the Spanish Ministry of Education and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Education. Located in Padelford Hall, Room B-202C, the Center’s purpose is to promote and support programs that teach Spanish to K-12 students in both public and private schools.
Be sure to check out the Resource Center’s bibliographic and video graphic materials as well as novels and books on teaching, traveling and Spanish culture. Anyone interested in the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures can borrow materials from the Resource Center.
Article by Irene Hopkins.