Meet our Instructors
Foreign Languages Instructors
Anena Otii :: aotii@sileducation.com
Instructor of French, Italian & Spanish Language
Born in a small rural village in northern Uganda and raised in East Africa, Europe, and the United Sates, Anena Otii’s life of international travel has prepared her well for her current position as a teacher of several romance languages. And we have her to thank for the flowers in the classrooms and the vegetable garden out back.
Ms. Otii holds a B.A. in Anthropological Sciences with a specialization in Historical Linguistics from Stanford University. While at Stanford, Ms. Otii completed the grammars of Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili to augment her background in linguistics, ease communication with relatives in Europe, and assist in gathering international humanitarian aid for internally displaced refugees in Eastern Africa.
One of Ms. Otii’s most rewarding experiences as an educator happens when students apply their academic abilities to the task of internalizing grammar, so that they may generate spontaneous expressions of language. To foster this linguistic growth, Ms. Otii employes a conversational method based on Maria Montessori’s renowned theory: the teacher is the guide and source of motivation. Ms. Otii believes that empowering students to direct their own progress produces better language learners, and germinates the seeds of independence that SIL strives to cultivate in each student.
(back to top)
Anthony Gonzales :: agonzales@sileducation.com
Instructor of Spanish Language, American Sign Language (ASL) & English
Anthony Gonzales grew up between Albuquerque, New Mexico and Santa Cruz, California. He now feels at home in the Bay Area.
Anthony earned his B.A. from the University of New Mexico. His degree was a double major in English / Creative Writing, and Spanish. His career at UNM included travel to a dozen countries, as well as studies in such Humanities as: Philosophy, History, Chicano/Latino Studies, American Sign Language (ASL), and Anthropology.
After graduating, Anthony continued his education in the University of San Francisco’s Master’s of Fine Arts in Writing Program. His M.F.A. thesis was a novel, entitled Movimiento.
Anthony’s current life is a continued investigation into cultural, societal, and individual interaction. As a trilingual individual, he values languages as instruments of expression; he is currently learning Portuguese, French, and Italian in hopes of reading some of his favorite works in the original.
He values the written word, and hopes to contribute to the realm of public ideas. He loves art in all forms.
Anthony is an experienced teacher of students of all ages, from pre-school to college. He believes that every interaction is an opportunity for growth and development. He loves to see students learn, and has learned immensely from his students. His only wish is to continuously grow as a learner and educator, along with his students and all who surround him.
(back to top)
Ethan Halter :: ehalter@sileducation.com
Foreign Language Co-Department Chair
Instructor of English, Social Studies & Spanish Language
Ethan graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in Comparative Literature and Religion. There he studied Spanish Literature, American Literature, and Modern Western Religious Philosophy. After graduating, Ethan moved to California to become a Teaching Fellow. He received an Americorps award to teach high school English in Oakland, California. He concurrently received a California Teaching Credential in English from San Francisco State University.
In addition to teaching English, Social Studies, and Spanish, Ethan is central to our curriculum re-design efforts. Ethan’s passion for teaching is rooted in his overarching belief in the transformative power of literacy, of the ability to step outside of one’s hodiernal circle and peer back inward. He believes that it is the teacher’s job to--through Socratic dialogue--lead, sometimes push, students to take such cognitive leaps. Ethan loves uncovering big ideas through the exploration of history, philosophy and literature. He especially likes Bellow, Keats, Unamuno, Woolf, Joyce, Marquez, Faulkner, Emerson, Thoreau, Borges, and Kierkegaard.
(back to top)
Maria Dominguez :: mdominguez@sileducation.com
Foreign Language Co-Department Chair
Instructor of Spanish Language
Maria was born and raised in the heart of Mexico: Mexico City. Education has always been important to Maria; she was the first person in her family to graduate from a four-year university. Maria went on to earn an M.A. in Romance Languages, with an emphasis in Spanish and Linguistics, from San Jose State University.
In college--as an active member of the Phi Sigma Iota International Honor Society, which comprises the best foreign language students--she was dedicated to the society's mission of promoting the scholarly study of foreign languages. She is currently studying Portuguese, as she profoundly believes that deeper multiculturalism results from the study of foreign cultures and languages.
Maria approaches the classroom with the philosophy that teaching foreign language is about teaching practical communication. Students best learn new languages when they are able to engage all the senses: when they hear, see, and speak new words. She believes that all students, with the help of the right tools, are able to overcome the inherent challenges that the study of foreign languages presents.
When she's not teaching, Maria enjoys reading, traveling, and cooking. She especially loves to dance.
(back to top)
Will Juola :: wjuola@sileducation.com
Instructor of Social Studies, French Language, Latin Language & English
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Will graduated from St. Norbert College in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a B.A. in French and a minor in History. He spent a year studying abroad in Lille, France--learning, traveling, and meeting extraordinary people.
As a peer tutor in college, Will discovered his desire to teach. His passion for teaching spans three disciplines: social studies, foreign languages (French and Latin), and English Literature.
(back to top)