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LinkedInMara Bernal, Teacher
| Country of Origin: | Colombia |
| Education: | BA in Modern Languages |
Mara Bernal Velasco holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in modern languages with an emphasis in English and Spanish Teaching from the Universidad del Atlántico in Barranquilla, Colombia. During her time in college she participated in literature groups with a special interest in Caribbean literature and started her professional career teaching at the Colegio IDPHU, a highly innovative school that recently received the 2008 Sapientiae Award, an international recognition given by the Organization for Excellence in Education of the Americas, ODAEE.
After teaching at IDPHU Mara moved to Bogotá, Colombia where she continued her teaching career at the Colegio CIEDI. The Colegio CIEDI is the second school in Colombia to be authorized by the International Baccalaureate to deliver all three of the IB programs. While living in Bogotá and teaching at CIEDI Mara attended a variety of IBO sponsored workshops that cemented her passion for the IB program and enriched her teaching with practical tools. She also spent time studying the Reggio Emilia approach to education which she believes offers young children a wonderful window to the world and allows them to enjoy learning while fully expressing themselves.
Mara believes that the IB PYP program is not only an academic framework but is also a real and well structured experience that forms sensitive human beings that are able to successfully face their future. Through different experiences in her own life she have become aware of how important and useful the PYP profile is in order to better understand and adapt to the changing world we live in. Mara expects to further her and training in the IB PYP program and plans to obtain a Masters Degree in Education with a focus on special needs children during her tenure at MIS.
Mara's move to Austin to become a teacher at MIS is an an opportunity which she believes to be of great importance given the impact that MIS will make in the Austin community. "The Magellan International School represents an educational project that any teacher anywhere in the world would want to be part of," says Mara. "This school has a very strong mission and vision and great people."
Mara has always taught in English, her second language, and at MIS she will have the opportunity to share her native tongue and culture with the children of Austin. Mara believes that teaching is about inspiring children and, as a teacher, she considers it of utmost importance to establish a connection with children and provide them with the tools that will allow them to be happy and successful human beings.
