Shorter Version:
Mary is a grateful educator who has lived and taught in many places in the world and happily calls Costa Rica home.
Longer version:
Mary is the director of Centro Espiral Mana which hosts professional development opportunities for teachers and an English program for the local community in rural Costa Rica. Originally from upstate New York, she did her undergraduate degree in public policy analysis at UNC-CH and taught spanish in an elementary school in rural North Carolina before going to the School for International Training for an MAT in Spanish and English. After 8 years in Japan, 2 in Brazil Mary settled with her late husband in his hometown in rural Costa Rica. She has lived and taught in both public and private settings on three continents and has worked on teacher development programs in the U.S., Japan, Libya, South Sudan and Brazil. In addition to her work at Centro Espiral Mana, Mary also is on faculty at Marlboro College Graduate and Professional Studies, where she teaches in their summer program and Professional Studies as well as affiliated faculty at World Learning's SIT Graduate Institute where she usually supervisees masters students on their teaching practicum and and is a trainer and trainer of trainers for the SIT TESOL Certificate Course. Mary is also currently enrolled in a doctorate program at Teachers College at Columbia University. A frequent presenter at local, regional and international conferences and has presented on topics including leadership within the classroom, the role of creativity in language learning, the role of compassion in learning, reflective practice, observation and feedback, thinking skills and intuition. She is currently most passionate about cultivating prosocial skills, joy and connection in both learners and teachers.
Mary is a grateful educator who has lived and taught in many places in the world and happily calls Costa Rica home.
Longer version:
Mary is the director of Centro Espiral Mana which hosts professional development opportunities for teachers and an English program for the local community in rural Costa Rica. Originally from upstate New York, she did her undergraduate degree in public policy analysis at UNC-CH and taught spanish in an elementary school in rural North Carolina before going to the School for International Training for an MAT in Spanish and English. After 8 years in Japan, 2 in Brazil Mary settled with her late husband in his hometown in rural Costa Rica. She has lived and taught in both public and private settings on three continents and has worked on teacher development programs in the U.S., Japan, Libya, South Sudan and Brazil. In addition to her work at Centro Espiral Mana, Mary also is on faculty at Marlboro College Graduate and Professional Studies, where she teaches in their summer program and Professional Studies as well as affiliated faculty at World Learning's SIT Graduate Institute where she usually supervisees masters students on their teaching practicum and and is a trainer and trainer of trainers for the SIT TESOL Certificate Course. Mary is also currently enrolled in a doctorate program at Teachers College at Columbia University. A frequent presenter at local, regional and international conferences and has presented on topics including leadership within the classroom, the role of creativity in language learning, the role of compassion in learning, reflective practice, observation and feedback, thinking skills and intuition. She is currently most passionate about cultivating prosocial skills, joy and connection in both learners and teachers.