Spanish |
Sandy Oakley
Personal Website: http://soakley-irsc.weebly.com/
Campus: Virtual
Office: No office on campus
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 561-626-9556
Biography: Sandy Oakley is a native Floridian, born in Coral Gables and raised in West Palm Beach, Japan and Spain. She attended high school in Spain and graduated from Palm Beach High School in West Palm Beach. After earning her AA at Palm Beach Jr. College (now Palm Beach State College) she attended Florida State University for her BA in Spanish and earned her Master of Arts degree in Spanish from Emory University. She began her teaching career at Cardinal Newman High School, has taught part time since 2003 at Palm Beach State College and joined the IRSC faculty in 2015. Speaking Spanish led to working for a consulting firm in Mexico, learning instructional design and working in the training department of Pratt & Whitney for several years. She currently teaches elementary Spanish courses such as SPN 1120 and SPN 1121 online.
Classes: SPN 1120 & SPN 1121 classes online.
Teaching Quote: “You will never regret learning another language. It opens doors and allows you to better understand another culture.”
Resources: https://personal.colby.edu/~bknelson/SLC/, ProfessorJason.com
Personal Website: http://soakley-irsc.weebly.com/
Campus: Virtual
Office: No office on campus
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 561-626-9556
Biography: Sandy Oakley is a native Floridian, born in Coral Gables and raised in West Palm Beach, Japan and Spain. She attended high school in Spain and graduated from Palm Beach High School in West Palm Beach. After earning her AA at Palm Beach Jr. College (now Palm Beach State College) she attended Florida State University for her BA in Spanish and earned her Master of Arts degree in Spanish from Emory University. She began her teaching career at Cardinal Newman High School, has taught part time since 2003 at Palm Beach State College and joined the IRSC faculty in 2015. Speaking Spanish led to working for a consulting firm in Mexico, learning instructional design and working in the training department of Pratt & Whitney for several years. She currently teaches elementary Spanish courses such as SPN 1120 and SPN 1121 online.
Classes: SPN 1120 & SPN 1121 classes online.
Teaching Quote: “You will never regret learning another language. It opens doors and allows you to better understand another culture.”
Resources: https://personal.colby.edu/~bknelson/SLC/, ProfessorJason.com
Cristóbal M Sartori Ph.D. (Chastain Discipline Leader)
Campus: Chastain
Office: A109
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 772-419-5638
Biography: Dr. Cristóbal Sartori earned his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Nebraska, where he studied Latin American Literature. His area of study is Colonial Indiginism, which can be described is writing by native Americans or about native Americans during the colonial period. He has traveled extensively around the world and has visited every continent except Antarctica.
Classes: SPN 1120, 1121 ENC 1101, 1102
Teaching Quote: “Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savor their songs”
(Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom).
Resources: www.studyspanish.com ; http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/
Campus: Chastain
Office: A109
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 772-419-5638
Biography: Dr. Cristóbal Sartori earned his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Nebraska, where he studied Latin American Literature. His area of study is Colonial Indiginism, which can be described is writing by native Americans or about native Americans during the colonial period. He has traveled extensively around the world and has visited every continent except Antarctica.
Classes: SPN 1120, 1121 ENC 1101, 1102
Teaching Quote: “Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savor their songs”
(Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom).
Resources: www.studyspanish.com ; http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/
Megan Simon
Email: [email protected]
Biography: Megan Simon is originally from New York. She began teaching at IRSC in January of 2020 and has previous teaching experience in Alabama, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching Spanish with a concentration in Latin American Literature from Florida Atlantic University. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Spanish from the University of Richmond, where she spent a year studying abroad at the University of Valencia in Spain. Megan has traveled extensively throughout Europe and in Latin America and looks forward to further travels. Her hobbies include tennis, Zumba, swimming, animal rescue, and reading. She lives with her three rescue cats Oliver, Natty, and Honey.
Teaching Quote: "Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality." (The Dalai Lama)
Classes: SPN 1120 & 1121
Websites: www.quizlet.com, www.rae.es
Email: [email protected]
Biography: Megan Simon is originally from New York. She began teaching at IRSC in January of 2020 and has previous teaching experience in Alabama, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching Spanish with a concentration in Latin American Literature from Florida Atlantic University. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Spanish from the University of Richmond, where she spent a year studying abroad at the University of Valencia in Spain. Megan has traveled extensively throughout Europe and in Latin America and looks forward to further travels. Her hobbies include tennis, Zumba, swimming, animal rescue, and reading. She lives with her three rescue cats Oliver, Natty, and Honey.
Teaching Quote: "Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality." (The Dalai Lama)
Classes: SPN 1120 & 1121
Websites: www.quizlet.com, www.rae.es
Veronica Tempone (Modern Languages Discipline Leader)
Personal Website: http://vtempone-irsc.weebly.com
Campus: Main
Office: J209
Email: [email protected]
Phone:772-462-7704
Biography: Veronica Tempone is a native of Ft. Pierce. She has been a full time faculty member at Indian River State College since 2001. Veronica earned her Master of Arts degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, where she studied Second Language Acquisition and Linguistics. Her undergraduate degree, from Auburn University, is in Foreign Language Trade-Spanish. She was awarded an Endowed Teaching Chair to establish a Center for Civic Engagement at the college. Other notable awards include: 2007 IRSC Faculty of the Year, 2011 Association of Florida College’s Exemplary Practice for Instructional Innovation, and 2011 NISOD Excellence in Teaching Award. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Veronica serves as the Service Learning Coordinator at IRSC. She is active in her community. She participates in Honor Flight Missions and local charity fundraisers, such as the Jewelia Project. Her hobbies include golf, tennis, walking, volunteering, stand up paddle boarding, and watching Auburn Football. She has two rescue dogs, Dibs and Bogie.
Classes: Elementary Spanish I and II (SPN 1120, 1121) Formats include: blended, online and with a service learning component, international study abroad.
Teaching Quote: "My teaching style is fast paced and student oriented, with an emphasis on communication and culture."
Resources: www.studyspanish.com Youtube videos by Señor Jordan
Personal Website: http://vtempone-irsc.weebly.com
Campus: Main
Office: J209
Email: [email protected]
Phone:772-462-7704
Biography: Veronica Tempone is a native of Ft. Pierce. She has been a full time faculty member at Indian River State College since 2001. Veronica earned her Master of Arts degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, where she studied Second Language Acquisition and Linguistics. Her undergraduate degree, from Auburn University, is in Foreign Language Trade-Spanish. She was awarded an Endowed Teaching Chair to establish a Center for Civic Engagement at the college. Other notable awards include: 2007 IRSC Faculty of the Year, 2011 Association of Florida College’s Exemplary Practice for Instructional Innovation, and 2011 NISOD Excellence in Teaching Award. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Veronica serves as the Service Learning Coordinator at IRSC. She is active in her community. She participates in Honor Flight Missions and local charity fundraisers, such as the Jewelia Project. Her hobbies include golf, tennis, walking, volunteering, stand up paddle boarding, and watching Auburn Football. She has two rescue dogs, Dibs and Bogie.
Classes: Elementary Spanish I and II (SPN 1120, 1121) Formats include: blended, online and with a service learning component, international study abroad.
Teaching Quote: "My teaching style is fast paced and student oriented, with an emphasis on communication and culture."
Resources: www.studyspanish.com Youtube videos by Señor Jordan
Maria Torron-Gomez
Campus: IRSC Pruitt campus, Main campus, Mueller campus
Email: [email protected]
Biography: Mrs.Torron-Gomez has been a teacher and mentor for over 20 years. She worked with Miami-Dade County Public schools for over 15 years teaching all levels and programs in Spanish from kindergarten to high school. These teaching assignments have been a great opportunity to use her skills as a strong language teacher.
Mrs.Torron-Gomez also includes her knowledge of history, literature and the humanities in her practice. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a degree in Literature and Humanities, having her research work on Spanish literature published by the University's literary journal. She also completed a Master's Degree in Modern Languages Education from Florida International University in 2000 and became a Spanish/Young Adults National Board Certified Teacher in 2005. She is a member of the Foreign Language Teachers Association and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, and has been a certified AP Spanish teacher and exam reader with the College Board since 2006. MrsTorron-Gomez has been elected to be department chairperson in several occasions, working at two large urban schools within the Miami Dade district. She opened and expanded an International Baccalaureate program at John A. Ferguson HS, where she became an IB certified teacher, later on training and supervising 16 teachers in 8 different languages offered at the school. In 2010, she taught and led an ESL department in Boston, MA for two years; where she also got an active certification in Spanish k-12.Mrs.Torron-Gomez was an Adjunct Spanish instructor at JSargeant Reynolds Community College (Virginia) in 2013, and an Adjunct Humanities instructor at Old Dominion University (Norfolk) in 2015. She published a short, bilingual story dedicated to her late father in June 2012. Mrs.TorronGomez lives in Ft.Pierce with her husband Jose and their rescue dog, Harry.
Campus: IRSC Pruitt campus, Main campus, Mueller campus
Email: [email protected]
Biography: Mrs.Torron-Gomez has been a teacher and mentor for over 20 years. She worked with Miami-Dade County Public schools for over 15 years teaching all levels and programs in Spanish from kindergarten to high school. These teaching assignments have been a great opportunity to use her skills as a strong language teacher.
Mrs.Torron-Gomez also includes her knowledge of history, literature and the humanities in her practice. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a degree in Literature and Humanities, having her research work on Spanish literature published by the University's literary journal. She also completed a Master's Degree in Modern Languages Education from Florida International University in 2000 and became a Spanish/Young Adults National Board Certified Teacher in 2005. She is a member of the Foreign Language Teachers Association and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, and has been a certified AP Spanish teacher and exam reader with the College Board since 2006. MrsTorron-Gomez has been elected to be department chairperson in several occasions, working at two large urban schools within the Miami Dade district. She opened and expanded an International Baccalaureate program at John A. Ferguson HS, where she became an IB certified teacher, later on training and supervising 16 teachers in 8 different languages offered at the school. In 2010, she taught and led an ESL department in Boston, MA for two years; where she also got an active certification in Spanish k-12.Mrs.Torron-Gomez was an Adjunct Spanish instructor at JSargeant Reynolds Community College (Virginia) in 2013, and an Adjunct Humanities instructor at Old Dominion University (Norfolk) in 2015. She published a short, bilingual story dedicated to her late father in June 2012. Mrs.TorronGomez lives in Ft.Pierce with her husband Jose and their rescue dog, Harry.
Sign Language
Robin Peterson
Email: [email protected]
Biography: Robin Peterson, born and raised on Long Island, New York. Moved to Martin County in 2003. She was born deaf. Her native languages are English and American Sign Language. She has been an Adjunct Professor since 2005 at Indian River State College. Robin earned her Masters in Education from Hunter College, New York with MS Degree in Special Education/Deaf Education. Her undergraduate degree with BFA in Graphic Design from Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York. She also has an K-12 American Sign Language Endorsement from Valencia Community College, Florida.
Robin is currently a South Regional Director for Florida American Sign Language Teacher’s Association (FASLTA) and also a member of Nationwide American Sign Language Teacher’s Association and member of National Association of the Deaf (NAD). She’s also a Founder/President of Treasure Coast American Sign Language / Deaf and Hard of Hearing Club since 2010. She was a former business owner of Three Legged Wildebeest Art and Pottery studio in Port St. Lucie for nine years. Her hobbies include pottery painting, photography, volunteering for Deaf elders and walking at beaches.
Quote: “Sign Language is about SEEING THE VOICE rather than hearing them”.
Classes: American Sign Language, Hybrid classes - ASL1140 (Level 1) and ASL1150 (Level 2)
Email: [email protected]
Biography: Robin Peterson, born and raised on Long Island, New York. Moved to Martin County in 2003. She was born deaf. Her native languages are English and American Sign Language. She has been an Adjunct Professor since 2005 at Indian River State College. Robin earned her Masters in Education from Hunter College, New York with MS Degree in Special Education/Deaf Education. Her undergraduate degree with BFA in Graphic Design from Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York. She also has an K-12 American Sign Language Endorsement from Valencia Community College, Florida.
Robin is currently a South Regional Director for Florida American Sign Language Teacher’s Association (FASLTA) and also a member of Nationwide American Sign Language Teacher’s Association and member of National Association of the Deaf (NAD). She’s also a Founder/President of Treasure Coast American Sign Language / Deaf and Hard of Hearing Club since 2010. She was a former business owner of Three Legged Wildebeest Art and Pottery studio in Port St. Lucie for nine years. Her hobbies include pottery painting, photography, volunteering for Deaf elders and walking at beaches.
Quote: “Sign Language is about SEEING THE VOICE rather than hearing them”.
Classes: American Sign Language, Hybrid classes - ASL1140 (Level 1) and ASL1150 (Level 2)
Reinaldo J. Vega
Campus: IRSC Pruitt campus, classroom E221 and teacher lounge next door in Bldg E, 2nd floor Office Hours Wednesdays, 4:15-5:15 p.m. (I live in West Palm Beach and commute one hour each way)
Email: [email protected]
Biography: I was born in Florida and have been a Florida resident, mainly in West Palm Beach, since then. I am profoundly deaf and attended public mainstreamed schools with a Deaf/HH Program. I have a Master’s Degree in Special Education-Deaf Education from UNF along with Florida Educator’s Certificates in Mathematics 6-12 and Hearing Impaired K-12 with a K-12 ASL endorsement. I obtained my RID-CDI February 2006 and my FLA ASL Endorsement August 2007. I also achieved my national American Sign Language Teacher Association (ASLTA) Professional-level certificate summer 2011.
Overall, I have been teaching the Deaf/Hard of Hearing for over 13 years, the majority of which are in public high schools in Osceola County and Palm Beach County. In addition, I have taught ASL adult community Level 1-2 classes part-time over two years; ASL 1-4, both part-time and full-time in three high schools for 3.5 years overall. Currently, I have been teaching ASL classes at Palm Beach State College for several years as adjunct, ASL and Deaf Studies classes at Miami-Dade College as adjunct for 4 years and ASL classes at Indian River State College for 3 years.
I am currently a member of Palm Beach County Association of the Deaf (PBCAD), FAD, NAD, FASLTA, ASLTA, FRID and RID for over 10 years in general. I was a former Florida Association of the Deaf (FAD) Member-at-Large for 4 years and Secretary for 2 years. I completed my two-year term as 2nd Vice President of Florida Registry Interpreters for the Deaf (FRID) October 2013. I am Vice President (currently interim President) of Florida American Sign Language Teachers Association (FASLTA) for over six years.
Classes: American Sign Language 1-2 classes
Campus: IRSC Pruitt campus, classroom E221 and teacher lounge next door in Bldg E, 2nd floor Office Hours Wednesdays, 4:15-5:15 p.m. (I live in West Palm Beach and commute one hour each way)
Email: [email protected]
Biography: I was born in Florida and have been a Florida resident, mainly in West Palm Beach, since then. I am profoundly deaf and attended public mainstreamed schools with a Deaf/HH Program. I have a Master’s Degree in Special Education-Deaf Education from UNF along with Florida Educator’s Certificates in Mathematics 6-12 and Hearing Impaired K-12 with a K-12 ASL endorsement. I obtained my RID-CDI February 2006 and my FLA ASL Endorsement August 2007. I also achieved my national American Sign Language Teacher Association (ASLTA) Professional-level certificate summer 2011.
Overall, I have been teaching the Deaf/Hard of Hearing for over 13 years, the majority of which are in public high schools in Osceola County and Palm Beach County. In addition, I have taught ASL adult community Level 1-2 classes part-time over two years; ASL 1-4, both part-time and full-time in three high schools for 3.5 years overall. Currently, I have been teaching ASL classes at Palm Beach State College for several years as adjunct, ASL and Deaf Studies classes at Miami-Dade College as adjunct for 4 years and ASL classes at Indian River State College for 3 years.
I am currently a member of Palm Beach County Association of the Deaf (PBCAD), FAD, NAD, FASLTA, ASLTA, FRID and RID for over 10 years in general. I was a former Florida Association of the Deaf (FAD) Member-at-Large for 4 years and Secretary for 2 years. I completed my two-year term as 2nd Vice President of Florida Registry Interpreters for the Deaf (FRID) October 2013. I am Vice President (currently interim President) of Florida American Sign Language Teachers Association (FASLTA) for over six years.
Classes: American Sign Language 1-2 classes
French
Paulette Moore
Email: [email protected]
Biography: Paulette Moore is originally from Indianapolis, Indiana and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a double major in English and Journalism, from Indiana University, Bloomington. She received a Master of Arts in French from University of South Florida. Although she was born in the U.S.A., she is of French heritage as six generations of her maternal great-grandparents were born in Alsace, France. In 1751, her sixth great grandparents, who were Huguenots, emigrated from France to Pennsylvania to escape persecution by the Catholics and to find religious freedom.
She has worked as an elementary school Spanish teacher, a middle and high school English and French teacher, and college-level French instructor. She began her teaching career in 1989. She has been teaching online English to international students since 2001 and began teaching French at Indian River State College in 2017. She also has an unlisted YouTube channel she created for her French students.
She is active in her Catholic church and faith and has served as a catechist and Children’s Liturgist. Her likes swimming, walking, biking, going to the beach, and reading. Her favorite French novel is Germinal by Émile Zola. She spends as much time as possible with her two grandchildren and lives with her tuxedo cat, Mr. Knightly.
Classes: Elementary French I and II (FRE1120, 1121) - online.
Teaching Quote: “I believe learning cannot take place when students are stressed, so my goal is to use gentle firmness and do my best to put them at ease. I also know my students won’t be fluent after a few weeks in my courses, so my main goal is to help them love the language as I do; with that love, I hope they will continue to learn and practice French.”
Email: [email protected]
Biography: Paulette Moore is originally from Indianapolis, Indiana and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a double major in English and Journalism, from Indiana University, Bloomington. She received a Master of Arts in French from University of South Florida. Although she was born in the U.S.A., she is of French heritage as six generations of her maternal great-grandparents were born in Alsace, France. In 1751, her sixth great grandparents, who were Huguenots, emigrated from France to Pennsylvania to escape persecution by the Catholics and to find religious freedom.
She has worked as an elementary school Spanish teacher, a middle and high school English and French teacher, and college-level French instructor. She began her teaching career in 1989. She has been teaching online English to international students since 2001 and began teaching French at Indian River State College in 2017. She also has an unlisted YouTube channel she created for her French students.
She is active in her Catholic church and faith and has served as a catechist and Children’s Liturgist. Her likes swimming, walking, biking, going to the beach, and reading. Her favorite French novel is Germinal by Émile Zola. She spends as much time as possible with her two grandchildren and lives with her tuxedo cat, Mr. Knightly.
Classes: Elementary French I and II (FRE1120, 1121) - online.
Teaching Quote: “I believe learning cannot take place when students are stressed, so my goal is to use gentle firmness and do my best to put them at ease. I also know my students won’t be fluent after a few weeks in my courses, so my main goal is to help them love the language as I do; with that love, I hope they will continue to learn and practice French.”