Maria Achiles

Maria Archilles

Maria Achiles

After graduating in 2009 with a degree in English Language and Literature, I spent a year in Boston participating in a program where I taught Spanish to international college students from all over the world. I was so fortunate to meet and learn from many people with different backgrounds and be engaged with diverse nationalities and cultures. I always wanted to be an English as foreign language teacher. However, this experience showed how exciting and fulfilling it is to share your own language and culture with people from other cultures, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect.

About Me

I am originally from Valencia, Spain. After completing my studies in Spain, I moved to Prague (Czech Republic) where I have been teaching Spanish as a foreign language for the past ten years to different levels and ages. I have also been the Curriculum Team Leader for the modern language department in my current school for the past four years. In my free time, I enjoy reading, doing all kinds of sports, traveling and spending time with friends and family. I am thrilled to be moving to Dubai and discovering what the city has to offer. I am looking forward to joining Safa for the upcoming school year and I cannot wait to meet everyone. I strongly believe that being able to speak a second language is crucial in order to become a global citizen. Speaking a foreign language also connects cultures and gives students the opportunity to develop intercultural understanding and act with empathy and respect in multicultural contexts.

My main focus as a teacher is to provide the students with authentic learning experiences to make meaningful and direct connections with the real world. Those real-world experiences connected to students’ interests will result in passionate, motivated and self-directed learners who thrive through the learning process.

My Experience

BA English Language & Literature| PGCE | Master Degree

I cannot think of one single best moment in teaching. I would say that the best of teaching is to see students growing as learners and maturing as human beings through the process. My biggest reward is to see how students not only improve their language skills but also develop a love for learning Spanish thanks to the experiences that I provide for them in my lessons.