Imelda Pribe
Whittier
Hello! My name is Imelda Davalos Pribe and I was born and raised in Los Angeles and I am of Mexican descent. I grew up bi-lingual, speaking Spanish at home and started learning Spanish grammar and literature from by my mother, a retired school teacher from Guadalajara, Mexico. I graduated from Mills College with a BA in French Studies and a minor in Chemistry, and obtained a Masters in Public Health from UCLA. I was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service until my first son was born. Concurrently the Surgeon General Richard Carmona declared 2005 “The Year of the Healthy Child”, and placed the research and issues related to the health and well-being of children in our nation at the forefront. This inspired me to stay at home to raise my son, and now 3 sons, with my husband and to impart an appreciation for Spanish and the Hispanic culture. My background in the Spanish language includes graduate classes at Middlebury College Spanish School, medical interpretation and translation work, and teaching catechism classes for children in Spanish. I have over 10 years of experience working with children as a Kindermusik instructor for babies to 7 year old children and also as a Catechist in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. I am the owner of Circle of Musical Friends studio and I am very excited to introduce Bamboleo in Whittier and the surrounding community to support those also interested in imparting the Spanish language to their children.
Long Beach
Jennifer Ulloa-Petoskey
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!
Myrna Rodriguez
Covina / Los Alamitos
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.
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Co-Founder
Priscilla Monserrate-Sanders
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 Pérez Ugalde 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
Long Beach
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 they lose their Spanish language and part of their heritage.
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 is in constant training in second-language acquisition. When she is not at a National Conference of language teaching, she is constantly taking workshops with the best CI/TPRS teachers (Comprehensible Input/Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling).
Susana currently resides in San Pedro, CA with her husband Carlos and her children Carlos Daniel and Abigail Gabriela. 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 and reading but, most of all, she loves spending time with her family.
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Our language programs are offered in various locations throughout southern California by independent proprietors that are trained and licensed to teach Spanish Immersion Networking Group programs. Licensing opportunities will be widely available, soon. To receive our monthly update or make an inquiry, please add your contact information to our distribution list:
Long Beach, CA
ph: 562-661-3168
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