Our teacher trainers have designed a customized course based on their own experiences with TEFL courses, educational training and years of classroom contact. In addition to the actual course content, teachers will assess the specific needs of the trainees and include tailored workshops as necessary.
Barbara is originally from California, but has lived in Costa Rica since 1999. She has a double Bachelors degree in Psychology and Multicultural & Gender Studies. She has participated in a number of Second Language Acquisition seminars through Cambridge University, New England Language School and others. She holds a Masters in Educational Administration, and a Masters in TEFL both of which were completed through Massachusetts’s Framingham State University International program in San José, Costa Rica.
In June of 1999 she assumed the position of English Department Director at Intercultura, where she is in charge of professional development, curriculum design, teacher training and observations, as well as teaching, her real passion. She is fluent in Spanish and is currently studying German.
Malachi Muhammad is originally from Northern California. He graduated from California State University at Chico in 1998 with a Bachelors in Criminal Investigation and Public Administration, follwed by a Masters in General Education. After university he went to work in the California educational system for five years, eventually becoming one of the youngest assistant principles in the state. After his time in public education Malachi came to Costa Rica, where he works at two institutions, Intercultura Language Institute and Interamericana University.
Currently he is the senior head teacher of the English department at Intercultura and regularly hosts training sessions and professional development workshops. He is fluent in Spanish and is also an avid basketball player and proud father.
Colin Miller was born and raised in Southern California and educated at the College of Santa Fe in Santa Fe, NM where he completed his undergrad in Creative Writing and Music and his Masters in Education. Colin has been teaching for 10 years both in the USA and internationally, as well as a charter member of an award winning middle school in New Orleans, dedicated to the education of at risk youth.
Colin has several years of experience teaching ESL to a wide range of students from varying countries, ages, backgrounds and aptitudes. With a dedication to the craft and a genuine desire to improve the lives of his students, Colin is a valuable and integral part of our team and an excellent peer mentor for new teachers.
A native of Southern California, Dr. Streng received his undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, the oldest and most prestigious journalism school in the world. He received his Master's in American literature, with an emphasis on applying linguistic strategies to decode written texts, from the University of North Texas, and his Master's in education administration from Massachusetts’s Framingham State University as a participant in that school's international program in San José, Costa Rica.
Dr. Streng also holds a PhD in English from Middle Tennessee State University. After a twelve year tenure in Costa Rica, he currently resides with his wife and two children in Nashville. Fluently bilingual, he teaches Spanish at a private school located there, and lives part-time in Costa Rica where he imparts TEFL training courses.
Ron Croteau, originally from Southern California, earned his BA from the University of San Diego where he studied Communication and Economics. He then obtained his M.A. in Linguistics with a mention in Teaching English as a Second Language from California State University, Long Beach. He taught ESL to young adults in Southern California for three years and has been teaching English as a foreign language at Intercultura for the past two years.
Ron is currently the head of the curriculum building committee at Intercultura Language School and a member of the school’s soccer team. He also enjoys spending his weekends surfing the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica.
Julia is originally from England and holds a Bachelors degree in Sports Health and Exercise and a Masters of Science in Education. She taught English and Physical Education for 9 years and was the Business and Enterprise Education Coordinator at Aston Manor school. While working as the Coordinator, she delivered workshops in Voice Training for Teachers, Positive Discipline in Classrooms, Teaching and Learning, Accelerated Learning Techniques, Active Reading skills, and Positive Behavior Management. She was responsible for the organization and delivery of Enterprise Education in schools in her local area from 2002 to 2005.
She later went on to complete her TEFL certification in 2006 and has since been teaching English at Intercultura and learning Spanish.
Victoria Schwarz graduated with a B.A. in Communications and English Literature, with an additional emphasis in Theology and Philosophy, from Lone Mountain College in San Francisco, California. She received her Master’s in Education/TESL in 2008 from Framingham College, Massachusetts. She is completing her second Master’s of Education/TESL at the University of Costa Rica.
Extensive international training led to work and experiences in several areas including, Criminal Justice, Life Coaching and the Healing Arts. She has created and operated several businesses, including the largest wholly-owned female car brokerage company in the State of California.
Victoria has lived in Costa Rica for more than five years, doing a few businesses including teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English as a Second Language (ESL), with an emphasis in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) as a contractor for language schools and numerous businesses and financial institutions in the San Jose area.
