Universe of Colors,
Foreign Language Immersion Programs
by Playgroups Unlimited
Eliana Courtin-Lyon (Terry), Director
Terri has over 25 years of experience teaching children. She was born in Chile, from french descent, and was exposed to multiple languages since early childhood. She has a degree in Education and in Spanish from the University of Santiago-Chile. As an Elementary school teacher in Chile her concentration was in Castilian.
She has an extensive teaching background in preschool and elementary school (foreign language) in the area, including private playgroups, classes at elementary level, tutoring older children, spanish preschool classes for recreation centers, and privates preschools.
Terri is the founder of Playgroups Unlimited-Universe of Colors. Her teaching philosophy is that " there are so many ways to learn and succeed and may different abilities that will help children get there."
Nina Véliz, Belmont Co-Director
Nina is a native Spanish speaker from Chile. She is an energetic, affectionate, and expericenced teacher. Nina is a graduate from De Anza College and is pursuing a Bachelors in Arts at San Francisco State University. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked with children for over 10 years. She has three children of her own, all of them bilingual.
Nathalie Fabri, French Teacher
Nathalie's rich background as an artist and pediatric occupational therapy assistant gives children in her class a very sensory approach to learning French. She incorporates art into each and every class, and is sensitive to pre-writing skills in young children.
A native speaker, Nathalie immerses your child in a day filled with the French Language. She holds an A.S in Occupational Therapy and a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a Fine Art Concentration. She is also raising a son who is perfectly bilingual.
Wang Kathleen Xiaoying, Mandarin Teacher
Kathleen is a native Mandarin speaker raised in Beijing. She has extensive formal training in childhood education, including courses at City College and Early Childhood Education courses at San Francisco State.
She is an experienced teacher who knows how to motivate children to achieve their potential while engaging them in fun and educational activities. Kathleen is a mother of two.
Eldelmira Reyes, Spanish Teaching Assistant
Edelmira, is fluent in Spanish and as our Spanish teacher's aid she is an invaluable member of our team and has been at Universe of Colors for over 3 years.
Her cheerful disposition, her patience, and her natural ability to teach children allow her to create an immediate bond with the children. Edelmira lives in San Mateo, and is a mother of two children.
Marie Jose Segal (Marie Jo ), French Substitute Teacher
A native from Paris, France, Marie Jo has an extensive background in art and teaching French as a second language. She is fluent in French, Spanish, and English. Her dedication to children is the perfect match to our programs where she enjoys teaching. Marie Jo, who has lived in many different countries and has had the chance to compare and understand many cultures, brings her experience to our programs. She lives in Redwood Shores. You can see Marie Jo's art at www.mariejo.weebly.com
Thérèse Dunne, Music Teacher
Thérèse was born and raised in Ireland. She has loved playing music since she was a young child and was inspired while listening to her father play traditional Irish music.
She is fluent in French, English, and Gaelic, and is an intermediate Spanish speaker. Thérèse can play many instruments, including the piano, accordian (button and piano), guitar, and bass. She loves teaching cultural music to young children.
Her mission is to augment the teaching of foreign languages to children through song and music.