My name is April Rodriguez and I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish, a Master’s Degree in Multicultural Education and a California Teaching Credential in Spanish. I have over twelve years of teaching experience ranging all the way from preschool to college! I began attending Bamboleo classes with my oldest son over four years ago in order to continue his development of the Spanish language outside of the home. The results and growth have been amazing and I am privileged and excited to bring these unique Spanish Immersion classes to my neighborhood! When I am not teaching Spanish I enjoy spending time outdoors with my husband and three children :)

I look forward to meeting you!

Araceli was born in Mexico City and has been living in Orange County for the past 24 years. Araceli has worked with children since she was 17 years old as a nanny. After Araceli became a mother, she was involved in the Costa Mesa School District as a parent coordinator and eventually she was hired to work as a counselor for the program FAST (Families and School Together). Araceli met Maestra Priscilla and Gabriela through mutual friends and she fell in love with Bamboleo!

Gabby was born in the USA to Argentinean parents and was raised bilingual thanks to their strong commitment to keep the home language alive, while learning the language of their new home.

Gabby supposes all of the wonderful books and vinyl records sent to her by family back in Argentina helped to keep her Spanish alive, with works, for example, by Maria Elena Walsh and Walter Jonsky. The magic involved with being allowed to use her mom’s typewriter if she wrote letters to “la abuela” in Spanish also helped!

After starting elementary school in the USA, Gabby moved with her family back to Argentina where she remained through college. She graduated with a BA in Music Education under the guidance and support of inspiring teachers, including Drs. Silvia Malbrán and Silvia Furnó, who are leading authors and researchers in the field of Music Education.  

Her study in Argentina focused on how people perceive events in music, and how those perceptions are symbolized in different ways and with different systems. Her studies paved the way for Gabby's further work integrating music into language and reading. After working in music education for more than ten years in Argentina, she moved back to the USA on her own, and joyfully accepting a position as a bilingual music teacher at The New City School, where she currently holds a full time position.

Gabby's MS in Education, with emphasis in Dual Language Development has increased her available resources to help children acquire a second language in a more comprehensive and global context, through song, play and movement.

When Gabby met Priscilla and observed her classes, integrating multisensory stimuli with quality stories, and engaging props and activities, she knew she had found her teaching "soulmate" to bring her love for quality music education and second/heritage language development together.

Gabby lives in Long Beach with her husband Ricardo with whom she shares a passion for music and yummy food.

I am a proud mami, teacher, lover of culture and I am excited to share Bamboleo with families.  I have been teaching language professionally to children of all ages since 2006 and I am raising my daughter in Spanish. I have had the unique experience to live, travel, study and teach in many parts of the continental US, Latin America, Spain and more. These experiences instilled a dedication and passion to opening young eyes to the beauty and blessings of our diverse world. Language is my medium.  I enjoy dance, music, exercise, laughing and I hope to instill a healthy sense of self in your child. Everyone is unique and I am accustomed and experienced in working with children with a variety of abilities.

I look forward to sharing this beautiful language, fun songs, positive energy and creative expression with you and your family!                             

My name is Myrna Rodriguez. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development, a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education, and a teaching credential in Mild to Moderate Disabilities. I have 14 years of teaching experience with children ranging from ages 18 months to 3rd grade.

In 2012, my husband and I were blessed with a beautiful son. I decided to become a stay at home mom to raise my child and give him the gift of a second language. It is extremely important to me that my son learn to speak Spanish in order for him to communicate with family and have a direct connection to his cultural roots. Early on, I discovered there were limited resources in my local community that would reinforce my efforts in raising a bilingual child. This journey has now led me to Bamboleo.

Priscilla was born in the USA to hardworking and loving parents from Ecuador. Priscilla grew up speaking Spanish as a first language. Having lived in Ecuador as a child and traveling throughout Latin America as an adult, she developed a passion for working with Latino communities. As a result, she worked for more than ten years developing curricula for agencies serving Latino children of underserved communities, specifically in the fields of public health and youth development. 

After starting a family of her own, Priscilla discovered a passion for working with young children, and a gap in affordable activities to support a bilingual upbringing of children in her local community. Drawing from her studies of best practices in early childhood and second language development (e.g., Total Physical Response and Total Physical Response and Storytelling, Early Childhood Education, developmental cooperative preschools, and Waldorf preschool programs), Priscilla began teaching her own curriculum: ¡Hola! Spanish Immersion Programs, in 2007.  

Watching child after child go off to kindergarten with a love of and growth in the Spanish language affirmed the effectiveness of the HSIP model. The ability to grow HSIP by leaps and bounds amidst a sharp economic downturn affirmed a second wish: To develop an affordable small-business model for others to experience the same success in their own communities.

Toward that end, Priscilla partnered with the incredibly talented (and FUN!) duo Gabriela Ugalde-Perez and Ricardo Marotta. Together, they launched Bamboleo Spanish Immersion Systems (aka Bamboleo) in 2014. 

Priscilla teaches Bamboleo classes in Long Beach, CA and surrounding communities. In her down time, she loves to craft, read, dance to lively salsa music (in the living room), and do all three with her husband and kids! She lives with her immensely supportive and loving husband, and three wonderful children in Long Beach, CA.

Susana Paniagua is a person who lives with passion, dedication and grace.  She was born and raised in Acapulco, Mexico, where she lived for 28 years. She completed her bachelor degree in Business Administration.

After receiving her education, she worked for 7 years as Operations Manager in a prestigious hotel in Acapulco. Being a frequent speaker at the training programs, she soon discovered a passion for teaching which led her to make the decision of getting the diploma in university teaching.  Soon later, she started teaching at the university subjects related to her career.

At 29 years old she decided to come to live to the United States.  While starting her new life in a different country, she made the wrong assumption that all Latino Americans were able to speak Spanish.  Sadly, she later learned that by the third generation their home language is lost, denouncing this way the heritage of their parents.

With the strong believe that children growing up multicultural will become multifaceted and proud of personal heritage, she committed to preserve the language and customs at home.  In order to do that, she started looking for Spanish programs that help her support this and this is how she met with Bamboleo Program and immediately fell in love with it.  While attending Bamboleo sessions with her son, Susana never forgot her passion for teaching and saw through Bamboleo Program a great opportunity to continue developing her passion for teaching and, at the same time, a unique opportunity to contribute in the preservation of the language in her community.

Susana currently resides in San Pedro, CA with her husband Carlos and her son Carlos Daniel, waiting for the sweet arrival of her new member, Abigail.  Coming from a family of musicians and married to one, she loves singing and listening to good music, being classical music one of her favorites. She likes drawing, reading and dancing Latin music (salsa), but most of all, she loves spending time with her family.