On-Site Learning at SFMOMA
with Richard Serra’s Sequence Sculpture
Background
My “off-piste” teaching style draws on the creative energy and innovative spirit of the liberal arts. My emphasis on an interactive, collaborative learning process is rooted in my involvement in experimental workshop theatre in Johannesburg and Paris.
Participating in international theatre, documentary film and music festivals in Europe and the USA, where my multilingual conversation and translation skills were invaluable for working with European and West African musicians and performing artists, I experienced firsthand the vital role languages play in cultural exchange.
Growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, I heard unfamiliar sounds and words I didn’t understand on the radio, in the streets, at school. I was curious to know the stories behind these faces and places, who they were and what they were about.
I recognized that proficiency in other languages would be an essential tool for connecting with people and worlds beyond my own. A native English speaker, I’ve lived in both Anglophone and Francophone cultures, where I have immersed myself in French, German and Italian and have also studied Afrikaans, Hebrew, Russian and Arabic.
Experience
I have taught languages for many years in multiple contexts, including high school students in Johannesburg and Soweto, Russian immigrants in New York, international BA and MBA students, immigrant communities from Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso in Paris, and study-abroad visitors from Chile, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Algeria, Turkey, Russia, Japan, South Korea and China.
In addition to private instruction through Spargo Studio, I currently consult and specialize in both English and French language learning at Berlitz.
Education
M.A. in English, Diplôme de Maîtrise, Langues Vivantes Étrangères, Université de Paris III, La Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, France.
B.A. in English & Comparative Literature, 20th century European Literatures & Post-Colonial Studies, Columbia University, New York, USA.
Coursework in English, French, Russian, German Literatures & Languages, Film and Drama Studies, Art History, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
TESOL Certification, British Council, Paris, France