Diaz-Zavala Selected for 2019-20 Sabbatical

Breck is pleased to announce that Middle School Spanish Instructor Óscar Diaz-Zavala has been selected for sabbatical for the 2019-20 school year.

Óscar will spend the year developing new skills for integrating art and social justice themes meaningfully into his Spanish curriculum. Art has always been a source of inspiration for Óscar in his personal, academic, and professional life. It is through art that he has learned to interpret complicated ideas and concepts. Through his years of teaching, he has discovered the importance of art in the lives of his students as well.

This year, Óscar is teaching the Advanced Language Class for Immersion Students and Heritage Speakers. While he knows this work will benefit all his students, he is particularly excited to add a more comprehensive layer to this curriculum. Óscar plans to meet with educators both locally and nationally to cultivate new ideas for his classes and collect age-appropriate reading material for his students. He will also travel to Guadalajara, Mérida, Puebla, and Oaxaca, Mexico, for workshops, a book fair, and a conference. He is also particularly looking forward to learning more about Mexican murals and the greater purpose they served throughout history in regards to social justice, human rights, and youth expression.

In reflecting on the mission of Breck, Óscar believes that it is important to instill in each student a deep sense of social responsibility while simultaneously enhancing each student's intellectual growth. Through his study of art and social justice, he is hoping to provide the medium for his students to apply their language skills, learn new aspects of history, and interpret art based on their experiences.