World Languages

LUCIA FALCONE - ITALIAN

Lucia Falcone, born and raised in Murano, Italy, is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. She has taught Italian for Travelers, Italian 1, 2, 3, and Italian Conversation for the last 24 years. Lucia's lessons will be geared towards helping students in their Italian travels. It will include pronunciation, grammar, but especially conversation. She will adopt many different ways of teaching, such as reading, writing, listening, and repeating aloud, which will give students a better understanding of the Italian language. The students will work together and help each other succeed. Also, Lucia aims at giving the students a better understanding of the Italian culture. During Lucia's many years of teaching, she learned that everyone can learn a second language, just in many different ways, thus the reason why she adopts various techniques of teaching.

ANA GALVAN - SPANISH

Ana Galvan likes to have fun. That is why she teaches Spanish. With an adult language class, the possibilities to have a good time are endless. Thanks to teaching, Ana has met people from different countries and traveled around the world. Trying new food, tasting wines, and going for a long relaxing walk are among her favorite activities. She has an unofficial  “club de español", a social club of current and former students that meets on the weekends to go hiking, wine tasting, visit museums, attend cultural events and concerts, and participate in events that the members suggest and where they can practice Spanish. She is also an avid writer and a member of “The Society of the Diamond” Writing Salon that meets every other Sunday to write in English or Spanish. She has also published 19 books in English and Spanish, including “The Spanish Workbook for Writing” that she uses in her workshops. Ana was born and grew up in Madrid, Spain, came to California to learn English and never went back. She has three passions: teaching Spanish to adults, writing, and making California bilingual!

CATHERINE MAIDEN - FRENCH

Catherine was born in France and left with her family when she was 10 years old. She went to the Lycée Français de Los Angeles where she received her French Baccalauréat in philosophy. Catherine attended UCLA where she received a BA in French and Spanish and then went on to earn a Masters in French Literature. Catherine moved back to France to study at the Sorbonne. When she returned to California, Catherine taught French at the high school and college level. Teaching Advanced French to adults has given her the opportunity to form a community of engaging students who are also multilingual. Please join our francophone family and speak « comme un français ou une française » with all the modern expressions of every day life.

MARIA RUIZ - SPANISH

Maria was born in Mexico. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry in Mexico, Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences-Immunology in Mexico, and Post-Master's education in Immunochemistry at the University of Paris-Orsay, France. Maria was the founder of a company exporting biotechnology products for 15 years and now retired). She also was an adult literacy teacher in a Mexican government program.

Maria's training in the sciences has helped her analyze, synthesize, and transmit information in a way that is practical and focused on a specific goal for each lesson. While teaching, the most important aspect is communicating information in a structured, organized, and concise manner, so students can understand and apply it in their daily lives. In addition, her experiences of working with individuals at different education levels and in different languages has allowed her to learn and understand how to communicate with a wide array of people.

Maria's teaching experience includes: Associate teacher of Biochemistry at the University of Mexico; Teacher of Biochemistry and Genetics at the University of Mexico; Teacher of Immunology at the University of Mexico; Adult literacy teacher in a Mexican government program in the USA; Spanish teacher for adults in private schools and private students in the USA; and Spanish teacher for the Acalanes Adult Education. Maria graduated with Honors in her Master's degree in Immunology. In her personal life, one of the most important achievements has been to be the founder of an export company in the United States and to raise and educate her two young daughters at the same time.

SHERRY WANG-AXELROD - FRENCH

Sherry Wang-Axelrod grew up in the Bay Area and instantly took to the French language when a fourth-grade classmate’s mother volunteered to give some French lessons to the class. She started studying French in the seventh grade and never stopped. She majored in French Literature at UC San Diego and spent one year studying abroad in Grenoble, France. After graduating and spending several years in the Silicon Valley business world, she felt the pull to return to her favorite subject and got her MA in French from the University of New Mexico. She taught French classes for years at UNM and Las Positas College before joining Acalanes Adult Ed in 2019. Sherry hopes to cross paths with you and, as a bonus, can give you pointers on achieving big hair should you ever be invited to an ‘80s party.

KATHY WAENY - FRENCH

Kathy Waeny graduated from the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor of Arts with honors in both French and German. She minored in social science with an emphasis on history. Kathy received a secondary teaching credential also from the University of California, Davis. She lived in Switzerland and Germany, where she also studied French and German. Throughout her career, Kathy taught French and German at the high school level at Las Lomas High School and Miramonte High School, located in the Acalanes Union High School District. Kathy has taught French and German through Acalanes Adult Education for many years.