ALEJANDRO TORRES - Foreign Language - Spanish

Alejandro Torres was born in Santiago, Chile. Two of his older siblings as well as his father are also educators.  He must have developed his interest in social science and language early on, because at age 8 he started his own "household newspaper", which he filled with stories about family pets, the comings and goings of various relatives, and reports on the weather.

He attended school at la Universidad de Chile where he received dual degrees in History & Geography, and Education.  In 2003, he moved to Los Angeles, California where he began working as a Spanish instructor for a private language company. Here he taught his native language to a diverse range of students, from diplomats and businesspeople, to well-known actors and actresses. (You guessed it, we can't name names here!)  In addition to his regular classes during this time, Mr. Torres also had the opportunity to teach in a newly formed department, providing live, online instruction in Spanish over the internet.

After spending a few years in California, Mr. Torres decided he would see what life was like on the East Coast and moved with his wife to Virginia. He started to work at GWCS in 2007. He has two daughters and a very energetic dog.

Mr. Torres enjoys traveling, camping, hiking, creating music, and watching good films. He is very excited to be part of the GWCS team.

Courses Taught

Bienvenidos!

Spanish I

Have you ever come face to face with a Spanish-speaker and wanted to say something but couldn’t? Here is your big chance. Every year the Spanish language is becoming more important in the United States. Having solid knowledge of this language is a big plus for both daily life as well as for professional purposes. In this course students will learn to express themselves in Spanish, developing vocabulary, pronunciation skills and conversational confidence so students can use their Spanish in useful real life dialogues. We will develop these skills through activities, presentations, and dialogues about family, friends, travel, hobbies and pop culture. We will approach the many different cultures of Spanish-speaking countries through reading, music, movies and trips to interesting places.

Spanish II

This course builds on the basic skills you may already have in Spanish. Its objective is to make you feel more comfortable expressing yourself. Students will learn the correct use of verb tenses. How to express more complex ideas and will engage in extensive dialogues. We will also delve deeply into Hispanic culture, talking in Spanish so that you are truly able to integrate it into your daily life.

Spanish III

In this course, students will begin to understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of advanced topics. Active participation, oral presentation, and written exercises will be required.  Students will be coached on how to use Spanish in real life and should be able to speak well both inside and outside of the classroom, during regular social interaction, with little teacher supervision. Get ready to make a grand entrance into the Spanish-speaking world!

Hiking Club (PE) - on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions

For PE credit, GWCS students have the option of hiking the trails at Audrey Moore RECenter with Sr. Torres. Students, staff, and sometimes parents start their day together on the trails and appreciate spending time in nature throughout the four seasons.

GWCS Soccer - on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions

The most beautiful game in the world is at GWCS! Soccer is an extracurricular, coed club sport. Fun practices are held after school once a week from 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm (weather permitting) to keep ourselves in ‘tip-top’ shape.  Mr. Torres is the coach.  GWCS teams will scrimmage against each other as well as compete against other area schools.  No need to be an expert!  All skill levels are welcome. Students will be taught basic to complex skills amid a fun and friendly atmosphere.

Music Club - on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions

Have you ever wanted to play in a band but never got the chance?  Well, now is your chance!  Music Club is a weekly activity from 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm where students will get to learn how to play and sing their favorite songs (getting them performance-ready), learn about music, and jam on their favorite instruments in a group.  The school acoustic guitars are available, or bring your own instrument.  Singers welcome!

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