Andrea Olatunji developed a passion for languages and cultures early on in her career. For over twenty years, she has taught ESL and Spanish in her native Uruguay and here in the United States. She holds a master’s degree in teaching with a Spanish concentration.
Andrea has developed valuable expertise firsthand with diversity and multicultural environments. Examples of her teaching experience in diverse settings include: a Spanish-French immersion charter school in New Orleans, Louisiana, a Spanish-French-Arabic immersion private school in Washington, DC, and a dual language public school in Alexandria, Virginia. She also chaired the Modern and Classical Languages department at an independent school in Virginia.
As a teacher, Andrea always found it difficult to find the right resources. She usually ended up creating them herself which was exciting but extremely time consuming. Two years ago, she decided to put her passion for books, art, and teaching together and start writing her own stories. Her mission is to validate children and instill an appreciation for diversity in them through her stories. She also aims to help educators create Spanish lessons that are effective, engaging and relevant.
Cuentacuento (meaning storyteller in English) started as a project to promote the teaching of Spanish in a meaningful and engaging way. Storytelling is the original form of teaching. It provides a fun and bonding atmosphere where language becomes an invitation rather than an assignment.
The philosophy behind Cuentacuento stems from an instructional framework created by Align Education,LLC.
The framework is called F.A.C.E.S , which stands for FUN, AFFIRMATION, CHALLENGE, EXPRESSION, and SUCCESS. These elements – which we believe are crucial for learning and success – are behind all the stories at Cuentacuento.
The author Andrea Olatunji, shares her vast experience in teaching through standard-based and classroom tested lesson plans, tips, and project-based activities.
Are you a teacher or home-school parent who devotes more than desired hours on planning lessons and searching for resources? Do you find yourself “reinventing the wheel” every new academic year? Do you find it hard to find materials for Pre-K through 1st grade levels that are relevant, engaging, contextualized and level appropriate? Then, join cuentacuento and enjoy teaching again!
