Juan Ospina Provides Enriching Spanish Classes and Moral Foundations for St. Thomas Aquinas Students
Mr. Ospina’s advice for students: “I was taught to value things and to not take things for granted. I always tell students to always try to do the best in everything they do and to value what they have.”
Osceola Catholic Schools provide your child with a variety of enrichment courses in addition to core subjects like English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. One of the highly enriching additions to your child’s education is a Spanish language class.
The study of foreign languages helps children become more responsible global citizens and builds valuable skills, including better communication abilities, improved memory, and a deeper understanding of language and grammar.
At St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in St. Cloud, Juan Ospina teaches students the Spanish language and about the diverse cultures of the 21 Spanish-speaking countries. He also makes his classroom a space where students can share their faith and build character skills like self-discipline, responsibility, and empathy.
Learn more about Mr. Ospina’s background and approach to engaging students in the classroom.
Inspired by His Catholic Education in Colombia
Mr. Ospina grew up in Bello, Colombia, where he and his siblings attended a Catholic school named La Salle Academy. Catholic school was the foundation for the faith and values that would guide him through life.
“There I learned my Catholic faith,” he says, “to love, to care, to be responsible.”
He emigrated with his family to Providence, Rhode Island, when he was 16. He lived there for nearly 30 years and started his own family, but made the decision to move to Florida around 2005. That was the same time he decided to go into teaching.
Mr. Ospina has now been a teacher for 15 years, and he has become an important part of the St. Thomas Aquinas community where he brings his Spanish language expertise and wealth of experience to the classroom.
Helping Students Learn Language in a Safe Environment
Mr. Ospina creates an immersive classroom experience where students learn about Spanish language and culture. He says the keys to engaging students are: “being funny, caring, real, and prepared.”
He also keeps students accountable for their work. Helping children build fundamental skills like self-discipline and responsibility are an important part of an exceptional Catholic education.
Mr. Ospina’s classroom is a place to celebrate the Catholic faith and traditions as well.
“I enjoy that we’re able to talk about our Catholic faith and about our savior, Jesus,” he says. “Being able to pray in the classroom and around campus is a special part of teaching at a Catholic school.”
He hopes his students learn what he did from his Catholic education: to appreciate what you have, to always try your hardest, and to love and care for one another.
Getting to Know Mr. Ospina
Outside the classroom, here are some things to know about Mr. Ospina:
He enjoys spending time with his wife, son, and daughter and working in the garden.
He has a dog named Dulce.
His favorite book is “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquéz.
His favorite movie is “The Killing Fields” (1984).
A Bible story he loves is that of the Prodigal Son.
His favorite place he traveled to is Lake Bled in Slovenia.
Thank you, Mr. Ospina, for the care, joy, and faith you provide in your classroom!
Faces of Catholic Education is an ongoing series in which we spotlight faculty and staff atOsceola County Catholic Schools and celebrate the love they have in their hearts for seeing children grow through a Catholic school education.