|
| |
|
What my students say... |
| |
"I thought I
would write to tell you how much my Spanish classes have meant
to me. As a small business owner in New York with a Latin wife,
my desire to learn Spanish is both personal and professional.
Before coming to you I tried a half-dozen other approaches to
learning the language. I attended evening classes, retained
private tutors, worked in small groups, and even enlisted the
aid of my Spanish speaking co-workers. All to no avail.
The situation changed radically after a mere three months under
your tutelage. Your off beat, interesting presentation style and
rigorous study schedule gave me the first real successes in my
ongoing quest to "hablo espanol". I found the character acting
and role-play particularly useful in helping get over my extreme
fear of speaking in front of others. The pacing of your classes
showed a well-practiced rhythm that, although ambitious, was not
impossible. The study schedule forced me to learn quickly
without forgetting between lessons. As an added bonus, your
prices were reasonable, even inexpensive.
So thank you for the time and effort you put into helping make
me a more integrated member of my family and professional
community. Although I did not get the opportunity to complete
the training, you provided me with the basis to continue
learning. I am forever in your debt."
Mr. Amram E. Dworkin,
President Avish Enterprises, Inc. New York, NY |
| |
"In the
nearly two years I have studied Spanish with Adrián, my
facility in Spanish conversation has improved greatly. He is
always prepared for my class to help me focus and resolve
problem areas. Moreover, Adrián is constantly
looking for ways of improving his already strong teaching
abilities. I would recommend him to anyone who is serious about
learning Spanish."
Mr. Daniel Huang,
EMI Music Manager of International Royalties, New York, NY |
| |
"Adrián
has the patience of a saint. After a long day of work, it is
difficult for me to stay focused in class. It is Adrián's
patience with me that keeps me coming back every week for over a
year. My reason for learning Spanish is my job entails daily
communication with factories in Mexico. I have finally gathered
the courage to call Mexico and ask in Spanish "Hola, quiero
hablar con…"
Ms. Wendy D. Cohen,
Product Manager of TOMMY HILFIGER, New York, NY |
| |
"Adrián
makes learning Spanish more than just a "class". He uses a good
balance of grammar and vocabulary with interactive conversation
and role play in real life situations. It's fun as well as
leaning.
Adrian is very patient and he speaks Spanish for 95% of
the class. This is an excellent way for leaning Spanish."
Mr. Joe Dung,
Partner, DELOITTE & TOUCHE, New York, NY |
| |
"Adrián
is a terrific teacher. He's animated, focused, well organized,
and very dynamic. He also has a terrific sense of humor and is
very professional and thorough in his approach. Lessons are both
intense and fun at the same time, a winning combination. Also
Adrián never seems to get tired or look at his watch. Two
excellent qualities worth noting."
Mr. Rob Liebman,
Salesman, Garment District , New York, NY |
| |
"I studied
Spanish with Adrián
for nearly a year, and can honestly say that I got more from his
teachings than from any other foreign language class I have
taken. I came to Adrián
as a virtual beginner, and left being able to communicate freely
in Spanish. My reason for beginning my study was a pending trip
to South America. After a few short months with Adrián, I
was able to converse easily on my trip. I enjoyed the classes so
much that I continued on with him for nearly a year. I cannot
vouch more strongly for his professionalism and his knowledge.
He is always prepared and thorough- and I still retain much of
what he taught me. I have studied previously at Berlitz, and I
can honestly say that Adrián's lessons were far superior,
and MUCH less expensive."
Mr. Sam Reep,
Art Director, NEW YORK TIMES, New York, NY |
| |
"I studied
Spanish with Prof. González for a little more than one
year. I have taken private language lessons with various
professors over the past five years in San Francisco and New
York with independent professors and established institutions
such as Berlitz. Professor González is extremely
professional, and I can sincerely say that he was the most
organized, energetic, and motivating professor out of all of
them. He was excellent at conducting the class at a level
appropriate for my abilities and introducing vocabulary and
course work specific to my needs."
Ms. Rebecca Gordon,
Accountant, MET LIFE, New York, NY |
| |
"I enjoyed
my classes with Adrián more than other's that I
had previously taken, because Adrián
teaches Spanish in the best possible way. He integrates real
life situations into the lessons and allows the student to speak
as if they were in Spain or another Spanish speaking country. In
addition, Adrián identifies a students
weaknesses and crafts lesson plans and homework assignments to
help the student overcome them. All in all, I found that I
learned more in a quicker period of time using Adrian's
methods."
Mr. Claude Pappas,
Project Leader, Change Initiatives, CREDIT SUISSE ASSET
MANAGEMENT, Tokyo, Japan |
| |
"Learning a
language is not like taking another ordinary class. It is
learning something new altogether from A-Z. Professor
González can teach you without making you feel
intimidated at the same time having fun is important. I found
Adrián through the Internet, and he has not made me
regret the decision of learning Spanish. I want to keep at it
since I am having so much fun."
Mr. Mahesh Bhupathi,
Professional Tennis Player, Winner 1999 Doubles Roland Garros
and Wimbledon, India. |
| |
"I started
taking Adrián's class about two years ago. I have
thoroughly enjoyed the learning process.
Adrián manages to combine an academic and intuitive
approach to his teaching and he is extremely enthusiastic and
energetic. I always feel as if he is giving 100% towads making
sure that I learn the language correctly, while at the same time
enjoying it. As a result I can now speak, write and understand
Spanish and I look forward to all my lessons!"
Ms. Pauline Mason,
Production Supervisor of OXYGEN MEDIA, England. |
| |
"When I came
to Adrián, I was worried because my graduate school
required me to pass a Spanish literary exam before I could get
my degree. I hadn't taken Spanish in twenty years, and was sure
I'd fail. But Adrian worked with me for just three
months--and then I passed the exam!! I'd always been terrible
with languages before, but Adrián
is extremely patient and sweet. He makes learning fun. If it
weren't for Adrián, I wouldn't be getting my Masters
degree!"
Ms. Patricia A. Hendrix,
Summa Cum Laude M.A.(c)-- Seton Hall University |
| |
"When I
moved from Amsterdam to New York almost two years ago, I wanted
to learn Spanish. I am still very happy I made the decision to
do so with Adrián.
His methods and way of teaching are very effective, and the
atmosphere is always great. I recommend him to anyone interested
in learning Spanish. I shall be traveling through Ecuador this
summer with a lot more confidence than I would otherwise have
had.
ˇAdrián, gracias!"
Ms. Eline van der Vlist,
Lawyer, DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL, New York, NY |
| |
"I
have only been taking lessons from Adrián for a few
months, but I feel that I have learned a great deal and am
certain that I will continue to learn at the same speed.
Much of the credit is owed to Adrián, who does an
excellent job of preparing and presenting each lesson. I
am taking Spanish lessons, because I am fond of languages and
find Spanish to be not only useful, but also beautiful. It
is important to find a professor like Adrián, who can
give you the proper attention with a good level of
enthusiasm. In no time, you will be speaking comfortably."
Mr. Robert Howard
Offerings Specialist, CRAVATH, SWAINE & MOORE, New York, NY |
| |
"Let me
start off by thanking you for one of the best educational
experiences of my life. When I began, I honestly had no idea how
much Spanish I would learn. When we were finished, I couldn't
believe how much we had accomplished. I will not go on to long,
however, because I will just start repeating my
testimonial, which is written below.
When I walked into Adrian's classroom on my first day,
I knew absolutely no Spanish. I was nervous because I had
recently taken a job as an English teacher in Ecuador and I
needed to learn as much as possible before traveling to South
America. In addition, I was accustomed to boring and
unproductive
language instruction throughout my years in school. Adrian's
classes, however, were both productive and stimulating. He used
a variety of activities and assignments that allowed me to
develop strong reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.
Class was always fun and exciting and Adrian
always seemed to know where I needed the most help and how to
assist me in those areas. Not only has Adrian helped me
develop the ability to communicate in Spanish, he has also
helped me unlock my ability to learn a new language. I am headed
off to Ecuador shortly, and I am more excited than ever to be
fully immersed in a new way of speaking.
Thanks again for providing such a wonderful learning
experience."
Mr. Brian Yates
English Teacher, Loja, Ecuador |
| |
"Hi
Adrian,
Guatemala has been a lot of fun! I don't know what we would
have done without the Spanish lessons, because many people,
especially at hotels, surprisingly, speak no English.
My friend has been a little Spanish traumatized, since her
teachers in the language school were not bilingual and she had a
hard time making progress. She felt somewhat isolated.
I intend to continue with Spanish when I return, definitely.
This has also inspired me to take up French again, because I
have a strong foundation there that I just have to round off
with spoken and listening skills.
Thank you very much for the classes. I really feel that they
were effective in giving us useful Spanish for our trip!
Best Wishes,"
Mr. Chris Rose
Software developer, New York, NY |
| |
|
"I began
studying Spanish with Adrian Gonzalez-Martinez after
having worked in Colombia with interpreters and having taken two
weeks of elementary grammar there. I had found that
traveling through rural areas with my rudimentary Spanish was
like wearing a t-shirt with “Take advantage of me” printed on
it, so I set up a regular schedule of classes here in New York
with Adrian.
Having
already acquired a healthy respect for the intricacies of
Spanish grammar and vocabulary, I needed intensive study to
overcome the pitfalls of “picking up” a language informally.
Adrian
was very exacting in his lessons and had to endure my lapsing
into bits and pieces of bad Italian, German and French from my
distant past, as well as the problem of intuitively sensing
things beyond my grasp. I believe the truism that the mark
of good education in a foreign language is an improved
understanding of one’s mother tongue. I have learned more
about language in general from three years of one-on-one
struggle with Spanish than from years of university language
study, which never pierces the most superficial level.
One reason I
wanted to learn Spanish was a desire to stay up to date in a
fast-changing USA in which Spanish is quickly becoming a second
official language. Thanks to our intensive work I no
longer speak one less language than so-called “bilingual”
children of immigrants, and I recently met a Colombian-American
“bilingual” co-worker who told my boss I speak Spanish better
than she does.
The world may
be getting smaller, but speaking English does not take one any
further in this hemisphere than it did a generation ago.
Since my lessons with Adrian I have been able to venture
out of the banal coastal resorts of Mexico to enjoy some of what
that country has to offer, and now when I open my mouth what I
have to say is greeted with respect and friendly chat instead of
non-comprehension, disdain and/or opportunism.
Another
fringe benefit of my study with Adrian is that I can read
foreign newspapers (Spain, Venezuela, Argentina) and get a
different perspective on current events involving the USA, as
well as more in-depth news about what’s happening in those
countries. A few quick and dirty lessons in “habla
espanol” are not sufficient to comprehend the written language.
It takes discipline, time and an intelligent teacher who’s quick
on his feet."
James
W. Johnson
Freelance Court Reporter/Stenographer
New York City |
|
|
"Adrian,
Happy New Year! Just wanted to let you know that I started my
new job and am unsure of my schedule for the next few months.
I'll let you know when I'll be able to continue my classes. I
also wanted to let you know that the 3 weeks we spent together
were excellent and I feel like I really learned a lot. I'll try
to practice so I don't forget everything!"
Ms. Lisa Heller
Vice President,
CDC IXIS Financial Guaranty,
New York, NY |
|
|
"Hola Adrian,
I wanted to write and tell you that I had a wonderful time in
Argentina. The time I spent working with you was helpful.
After I returned, I finished my master's degree at the New
School and then moved to San Francisco. I am also thinking a lot
about continuing to work on my Spanish.
I did want to say that I think you are a great teacher and I
learned a lot. If I were still in NYC I'd be taking more lessons
from you.
Hope you are well."
Mr. Max Maddock
Senior Production Manager for Landor Associates, New
York, NY |
|
|
"Hi Adrian,
How is it going? This is Sam Walsh. I took classes with you
about a year ago. After I finished up with you, I went to
Ecuador for a year to teach English as a foreign language.
First, I lived in Quito for a month, and then I started my work
in a town called Limoncocha, which is in the Amazon rain forest,
near the borders with Peru and Colombia. I taught the Kichwa
speaking students there for about 10 months. As you predicted,
it was very difficult, but I learned a ton. Due to everyone's
lack of familiarity with English, I gave my classes in Spanish,
and spoke Spanish constantly. I was the only Gringo in the town,
and probably one of like 10 Gringos in the whole province.
Needless to say I was a celebrity.
Anyway, now I'm back in the states. Ideally, I'd continue taking
classes with you, but unfortunately, I'm living in Boston right
now.
I cannot thank you enough for the work you did with me. I was
able to get so much more out of my experience in Ecuador than I
would have gotten without your lessons. My Spanish really opened
a lot of doors for me down there. After the first two months in
Ecuador, my listening got a lot better, and I could speak very
rapidly. People were really impressed.
Take Care,"
Sam Walsh
English Teacher |
|
|
"Hola Adrian,
I hope you will remember that you talked with me in Rehoboth
Delaware by phone for 2 weeks; I just wanted to share with you
that I finally got my results today from the ACTFL (American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) people and, thanks
to you, I passed with the "advanced low" score that I needed to
be certified. My certification process included passing 2 Praxis
tests, studying for 5 weeks in Spain, and then this oral exam.
Muchisimas gracias...estoy muy feliz hoy!"
Gayle Fitzgerald
High School Teacher-French & Spanish, Rehoboth, Delaware |
|
|
"Adrian,
Hello! I just wanted to let you know that I passed my Oral
Proficiency Interview, required by NJDOE for those wishing to be
certified to teach a language. Thank you for all your time and
help in preparing for my test. I really appreciate it. I hope
you and your family enjoy the holidays. Take some time off!"
Lisa Lampariello
Spanish Teacher, Round Valley Middle School in Lebanon,
New Jersey |
|
|
"I
am writing the testimonial in support of my Spanish teacher
Adrian Gonzalez-Martinez.
My goal for Mr. Gonzalez's class was not only to learn to
speak and read Spanish, but to be able to effectively
communicate with Spanish speaking people, confidently.
Mr. Gonzalez's classes were structured to learn every
aspect of the Spanish language element through exercises. When
these exercises were mastered, the classes progressed to reading
stories and newspaper articles with simultaneous translation.
The final aspect of Mr. Gonzalez's class was to encourage
dialogue between us. I thus gained confidence speaking,
listening and interpreting the material presented at each class.
The Spanish speaking people I meet can not believe I learned
Spanish in the US. Speaking with a good accent and with such
expression.
I would recommend Mr. Gonzalez if you want to confidently
speak Spanish without fear."
P.S. My
patients compliment my command of Spanish thanks to you.
Avram
Abramowitz
Oncologist and Hematologist,
New
York, NY |
|
|
"Hola
Adrian,
I just wanted you to know that tomorrow will be my last class. I
am moving next week to a different apt. for the month of
November then I will be leaving New York. Taking your classes
has been so rewarding and one of the most important things in my
life and I appreciate all your help, encouragement and your
laughter during our classes. I know I was far from your best
student, but I really care about learning Spanish and always
looked forward to your classes. I will keep in touch with you to
let you know where I am at and where I will be teaching.
Once again---Thank You!! See you tomorrow."
Scott Petche
English Teacher, Brooklyn, NY |
|
|
|
"Hi
Adrian,
“I thoroughly enjoyed each and every class I took with
Adrian. I learned a great deal, had a great time and felt
empowered by his instruction. I look forward to using my new
language skills for years to come and know that I would not
have learned nearly as much with any other program in New
York City.”
Christine Rontal, M.S.S.W.
Director of Marketing and Grant writing
Powered by Professionals,
Your Charity Connection,
New
York, NY
|
|
|
|
"If you are
intimidated by the thought of trying to learn a new language, I
would highly recommend going to Adrian as he successfully
creates an environment where any type of student can feel
comfortable to make mistakes and ultimately become better
Spanish speakers.”
Ryan Taylor
President Cirios Ventures, San Diego, CA
|
|
|
|
These
letters, and many more like them, are on file at
SpanishNewYork.com |
|
|
