Pedagogía / Pedagogy

Education changes mentalities, forges new generational perspectives to improve our world, and can help end cycles of poverty and injustice. I have personally experienced the empowering effect of knowledge and education, and I encourage this in my students every time I teach.

My research and musical endeavors feed my teaching, incorporating music and film into the study of literature, such as my literature course called “Shall We Salsa?” that focuses on the relationship between diverse types of Latin American musics and literatures. My goal is to help students create connections between different genres and artistic forms and the ways each can provide new perspectives on issues of social class, identity, gender, and activism.

With over nineteen years of teaching experience in Colombia and the United States, my background in research-enriched pedagogy plays a crucial role in the quality of the classes I offer and has led to awards such as the “Academic Excellence and Teaching Award” from the School of Languages and Cultures at Purdue University, the Berenice A. Carroll Feminism, Peace and Social Justice Award, and an Honorable Mention for the Boiler of Purdue award (for students making an impact in the world).

Recent classes

Spanish 101, 102

Shall we Salsa?