
Founder and teacher
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Maria Celia Ridao de Lawrie
I was born and raised in Balcarce, a rural town near the Atlantic coast of Argentina where I trained and obtained my degree as a primary school teacher as well as a degree in adult education. Having practised teaching at both rural and urban schools for a decade, my family and I came to New Zealand in 2004. Here I soon realised the challenges of learning a foreign language as an adult, which has helped me to develop my teaching skills further. Applying my enthusiasm and my strong communication skills as a Spanish language tutor across a range of levels has led me to believe that this activity is more than teaching a language, it is also an introduction to a different culture and history.
I hold a Graduate Diploma in Art in Spanish (Distinction) from the University of Canterbury and I am a certified examiner for the international DELE qualification from the Cervantes Institute in Spain. I enjoy a range of outdoor activities with family and friends, especially paddling outrigger canoes and kayaks on the beautiful Lyttelton Harbour around Banks Peninsula where I live.