Laura Friesen, Founder & Core Instructor

Laura (left) with her students in Mexico

Laura founded Core Fluency in 2010 in order to empower others with the confidence to communicate in Spanish with ease and understanding.  She teaches in a clear manner and utilizes fun, experiential learning methods.  Her mission is to enrich the lives of others as a result of their learning experiences in her classes and field workshops.   She brings her love of travel, rich experiences, art, adventure, and lifelong education to her teaching. 

Laura originally taught all of the Denver classes (2010-2013).  In 2013, Laura (and Core Fluency) moved to New York City, where she now offers Private Classes to adults and Tutoring to teens. Laura personally leads all of the Core Fluency Retreats Abroad.  She continues to offer Group Classes for adults in Denver and NYC.

Laura’s background:

After traveling through Spain and living in Costa Rica for 3 years, Laura was introduced to the methods of teaching with Comprehensible Input.  Laura felt immediately at home teaching in these right-brained, natural, and experiential teaching practices.  

  • Laura has been teaching since 1997, after receiving her Masters of Teaching (MAT) from Tufts University in Boston.
  • She has taught in public and private schools for 10 school years & in private educational programs for 13 additional summers/semesters.
  • Laura holds Professional Teaching Certificates in the following states: CO, NH, MA, and NY (City and State).
  • She has passed the DPS Spanish Language Proficiency Tests and the CO Place/Praxis II Tests for Spanish, and she is NCLB Qualified.
  • Laura also completed training for ELA-Spanish teachers and was trained in TRPS and Comprehensible Input Teaching Methods for Denver Public Schools World Language teachers.

Laura has a passion for teaching.  She makes the complicated simple and provides clear & creative experiential activities for engaged learning.  

  • Laura teaches a strong foundation in everyday Spanish for anyone who wants to become fluent – even if they think they “can’t learn a foreign language.”
  • She helps advanced students refine their speaking, reading, and comprehension skills & build their knowledge of culturally correct language usage.
  • Her love of Spanish speaking is catching.
  • Laura inspires and prepares future travelers with cultural and travel tips, stories, and photos.
  • Laura makes Spanish simple, understandable, and simply unforgettable.
  • She brings cultural & experiential knowledge, plus formal Spanish grammar training, to her classes.
  • Laura adds value to her Spanish classes, with her background as a photographer, art educator, & group trip leader.

Laura’s favorite benefits of being fluent in Spanish are:

  • the ability to confidently and safely experience independent travel and off-the-beaten-path adventure!
  • the richness of getting to know the cultures and the people she meets while traveling
  • learning about the nature, food, music, and art of a country
  • understanding the country’s deeper political, historical, and socio-economic undertones

 

Let’s get started!