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Luz Giraldo, DP Spanish Teacher, who is retiring this year, has been at Dwight for more than half of her life. Hundreds of students’ lives have been deeply impacted by her unique and thorough mentorship, and dozens of teachers have experienced her wisdom, encouragement, and devotion to the craft of teaching.

Dominique Mas, former head of the Language Department, spoke about Ms. Giraldo’s profound presence in the community: “Luz was the heart of the department. Not only as a Spanish teacher, but as a mentor to all the new teachers. She was a generous team member, sharing ideas, resources and teaching strategies openly. Luz is truly a master teacher, whom I was so lucky to learn from.” 

It all began when Ms. Giraldo joined the department in 1988 to teach Spanish I and II to grades 8-10.

Back when Dwight was on the East side, Ms Giraldo taught in a traditional way, lecturing on Spanish grammar rules, and having students read short stories, translate, and conjugate verbs. This conventional method started to shift when new technology played a bigger role in educational environments, and Ms. Giraldo and other Dwight teachers received the first few professional development lessons about using the latest technology — a computer. Soon after this, in 1993, Dwight merged with the Anglo-American School on the West Side, and the International Baccalaureate was introduced into the curriculum, which intrigued Giraldo and further affected her techniques. She said, “The richness of the program was like magic to me. It opened my mind in a way I had never imagined.” 

Once the IB started, Ms. Giraldo was even more inspired to stray from the ordinary classroom structure, proposing projects that would expose them to real-world, Spanish-speaking environments. Becoming a DP Spanish Teacher and having the curriculum change ignited a new spark in Ms. Girlado’s creativity. She realized that teaching the students about what it means to not only speak Spanish, but to be fully immersed in the culture, such as the music, the food, the art, and more, would help create a global citizen, a person comfortable speaking the language, and existing in the place itself. 

So, as a young teacher, and at a time when no one was doing it, Ms. Giraldo approached Chancellor Stephen Spahn with an out-of-the-box idea: taking students to Colombia for a whole month, and having them sit in on lectures at a school in the city of Manizales. He agreed, and it was the first of her many memorable language trips.

Ms. Giraldo continued to provide her students with incredible opportunities in addition to regular class time. She took a group of her IB students on a vacation to enjoy the winter in Chile, going to classes at the University of La Serena to study Spanish at a higher level. During this trip, students were exposed to special opportunities, such as visiting an exclusive astronomers’ observatory on the Andes mountains. After this, she hosted a Peru trip in which students attended classes in an IB school in Lima.They also participated in community service, building houses for the underprivileged, living with Peruvian families from the school. 

These trips have been a great influence on the students, leaving a meaningful mark on their lives. Many of her students chose career paths with international companies for which they travel to Latin American countries, feeling confident that they can speak Spanish comfortably and understand the culture on a deeper level. 

Ms. Giraldo explained how fulfilling it was to notice that her Spanish class had a ripple effect. “Nothing makes a language teacher happier than seeing how students improve their ability to speak and understand the language in various circumstances. It is most rewarding when they come back to visit from college and say they are taking Spanish and planning to study abroad.” 

Part of what makes Ms. Giraldo’s teaching extraordinary is her caring nature that both the Dwight teachers and students appreciate. During her tenure, she made great friendships and bonds with all the Dwight teachers, administrators, and staff whose positive influence shaped her journey in invaluable ways. 

Jada Morgan '18, currently External Relations Professional at IBM, formed some of her most cherished Dwight memories in Ms. Giraldo’s Spanish class. 

To this day, she has a playlist full of reggaeton (Spanish-language songs) titled “NC6,” the name of Ms Giraldo’s classroom, which felt like a second home to the students taking her class. Jada said, “Señora Giraldo had a way of making us feel like we were her family. Our class was so close-knit and she had a way of helping us foster that closeness to make learning Spanish fun and comfortable. ” 

Now, after 37 years of exceptional teaching, she will be retiring and moving on to her next adventure. 

The students who took Spanish this year were honored to be in her last class. Eli Schoenfeld '25 said, “Ms. Giraldo encouraged me to continue learning the complexities of the Spanish language, which motivated me to push myself and grow as a speaker. Being in her last class ever feels incredibly meaningful. I feel lucky to be part of the final chapter of her teaching journey.” 

Ms. Giraldo’s kindness and warmth will be remembered fondly. The Dwight community is forever grateful, and we wish her well on her next adventure!

Season 2 of Sparking Genius is off to a strong start, with Dianne Drew, Head of School at Dwight School New York and Global Education Director for the global network of Dwight Schools, exploring how innovative ideas, technologies, and thought leaders are shaping the future of education worldwide.  

Unlocking AI’s Potential in Education (Season 2, Episode 1)

AI in education is an essential theme to explore, particularly given the tremendous opportunities it presents, as well as the potential challenges. In this episode, host Dianne Drew and her guests offer ideas on how to prepare educators and students for an AI-driven future.

Amanda Bickerstaff, founder and CEO of AI for Education, and Christian Taubman, President and CEO of the Middle States Association — an organization that has been at the forefront of school accreditation and innovation — joined Ms. Drew in the conversation and shared insights drawn from extensive industry experience.

When discussing the Middle States Association’s AI endorsement (which Dwight School is proud to have earned this past February) Mr. Taubman explained how the school’s participation deepened students’, teachers’, and administrators’ understanding of AI in education. Since AI tools are still in the “dial-up phase,” as Ms. Bickerstaff said, and evolving quickly, it is important to keep an open mind and learn about what is possible for the future.

She continued, “If you're going to think about that long term trajectory, the more that you're willing to learn and try and go out of your comfort zone, the more you're going to be ready for this transformation.”

The Power of Systems Thinking in Education (Season 2, Episode 2)

Ms. Drew’s guest for this episode, Lee Howell — Executive Director of the Villars Institute, a nonprofit organization at the forefront of systemic change and sustainability — introduced our audience to the importance of systems leadership. Howell discussed his work in building connections across generations, his leadership in the world of sustainability and environmental advocacy, and how he brings real-life knowledge into education through nonprofit work and as a professor at the University of Geneva.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, Mr. Howell explained “systems thinking” in simple terms and how it can be applied in our everyday lives:

“It's a framework for understanding the world we live in, through relationships and understanding how when these pieces fit together, they form a whole… ”

Infusing this topic early on in schools pushes students to think about how every action we take has an effect and ultimately highlights how our world is deeply interconnected.

Beyond The Lesson Plan: Mastering the Classroom (Season 2, Episode 3)

This was a special episode for the Dwight community, as Ms. Drew was joined by 2024 Dwight Torchbearer Award recipients, Zach Shapiro and Javier Sanchez. The Torchbearer Award recognizes faculty and staff across our global network who exemplify the values and practices of the global network of Dwight Schools.

Mr. Shapiro, a beloved math teacher from Dwight New York, and Sanchez, an inspiring language arts teacher from Dwight London, shared their passion for teaching and spoke about some of their innovative and creative approaches to engaging students with the material. Both also emphasized the importance of collaboration with fellow teachers across subjects.

Mr. Sanchez discussed teamwork multiple times, saying: “This idea of collaboration is key. I love it when we do sessions on teaching and learning, and how much we learn from one another.”

Mr. Shapiro chimed in on this point, explaining: “I always welcome teachers into my classroom to watch my lessons, and to see how I do things. I also love checking other teachers, teachers of other subjects, whether it's art, theater, science, it doesn't matter, because it allows me just to see what they do differently.”  

Coming Up This Season…

The Sparking Genius podcast will continue to offer its audience fresh insights from educators and industry leaders on a wide range of timely, engaging topics — from the shifting landscape of the college application process, to creating Athletics programs where student-athletes thrive, and more.

Listen and subscribe to Sparking Genius on our website.

More Podcast Insight on Dwight

Sparking Genius host Dianne Drew recently stepped into a new role — podcast guest! — on the Inspiring Schools Podcast.

In an engaging conversation with Simon Noakes, Founder and CEO of Interactive Schools, Ms. Drew reveals what inspired her to become an educator, how Dwight stands out in the international school market, and how our IB-fueled program allows students around the world to deeply connect with their sparks of genius – amongst many other topics.

You can listen to the Dianne Drew edition of Inspiring Schools here.