Alejandra Barrera

About

Alejandra was born and grew up in Colombia. Since she was little, she enjoyed teaching her cousins and younger brother, and dreamed of having her own preschool someday. Alejandra’s mother enrolled her in consistent English courses following her conviction that learning English would give Alejandra a more promising future. Alejandra discovered an interest for languages, which led her to combine it with her passion for teaching to achieve a B.A. in Education with an emphasis in Humanities and Languages, Spanish, English and French.

Throughout her college practicum, her work at the Museum of Children in Bogota, and her experience as an AuPair in the USA, Alejandra became aware of the importance of knowing a second language. Not only was speaking English crucial in Alejandra’s finding better job opportunities, but it also contributed to her personal growth. Being able to see the world from a different perspective as well as understanding native speakers in a more profound and personal manner, made Alejandra a more tolerant individual, adaptable to change and respectful of diversity.

Alejandra enhanced her commitment to a career in languages teaching and was able to inspire the lives of many teenagers in Colombia, encouraging them to pursue their goal of becoming bilingual. She received training in valuable approaches to develop Critical Thinking and Cooperative Work in the language-learning classroom.

In 2009, Alejandra moved to the United States to start a family. She was blessed to meet knowledgeable and passionate educators that taught her alternative strategies to teach language to younger children. Alejandra applied such strategies during her experiences as a Spanish tutor and preschool teacher. She was fortunate to discover her own talents, which steered her towards her childhood dream, and she co-founded Mi Pequeña Academia. Alejandra has a real expertise in creating holistic curriculum that develops the whole child. She enjoys being creative and resourceful when adapting the classroom to be inviting for all types of personalities.

Alejandra’s teaching philosophy has been enriched with the awareness that came from becoming a mother of two wonderful boys. She understands that parenthood is equivalent to the practice of teaching in that it involves helping another human being develop. Learning is a process of continuous little goals achieved, and it is very rewarding to experience that process with the child. Therefore, parent-child and educator-child relationships are crucial as the values learned through their bonding set the real foundation for life-long learning.

Alejandra is raising her two boys bilingual and bicultural. As a parent, educator, and now as an entrepreneur, Alejandra devotes her life to making, and helping others make dreams come true.