Our Team
Dragon American School is run by a small group of professionals with both experience and expertise in the most innovative and leading pedagogical methodology.
Around 75% of our teaching team are native English speakers, from countries such as the USA, Canada, the UK and even Ireland. While the other 25% are from other countries, many of whom have worked as teachers in the USA and also have a very high level of English.
Our team is dedicated to education and trained in new and innovative methods of education whilst also understanding more traditional procedures. Our teachers make it a priority to keep up to date with all new developments, research or recent publications throughout the world. In doing this they ensure that they are continually adapting their teaching methods and as a result guaranteeing a bright future for their students.
Based on a Tech Start-Up corporate cultural model, where there is no rigid hierarchy, teachers work as a team in order to create a better school climate. Collaboration between teachers of both Elementary and Secondary allows us to create our tailor-made academic programme.
Our Kindergarten teachers receive specialized training in our school throughout the school year, specifically focused on the different methods used in democratic schools (Reggio, Montessori, Waldorf, Positive Discipline, Aucouturier, Pikler-Loczy). Our school also provides continuous and specific professional development for our Elementary and Secondary teachers. They receive training in different methodologies with a multidisciplinary approach linked to each major area (IGCSE, Multiple Intelligence, High Abilities, Learning Disabilities and many more…).
Our aim is to gather a team of people with great attributes and principles. The skills and qualities that we look for in the process of staff selection are the following:
• Passion/Motivation
• Professionalism and Responsibility
• Adaptability
• Integrity/Honesty
• Dynamism and Energy
• Autonomy and Initiative
We believe that workplace satisfaction is the key to success. For this reason, we encourage self-awareness and self-care activities in order to encourage our staff to lead a healthy lifestyle (meditation, yoga, personal development workshops, nutrition, healthy habits, etc.).
Dragon American School is continuously interviewing new teachers throughout the school year as we are constantly looking out for the best teachers to join our supply pool.
I am Helder Marques, School Principal at Dragon American School. I was born in Brazil and raised in the United States, where I earned a degree in Business Administration and later trained as an English teacher. My passion for education has driven my career for over 23 years, during which I have had the opportunity to work in Brazil, Ireland, the United States, England, and Spain, where I have been living for nearly two decades.
Throughout my professional journey, I have held pivotal roles such as ESL, ELA, EAL Teacher, Cambridge ESOL Oral Examiner, Trinity Oral Examiner, Training Consultant (Business English), and Center Manager in various countries. For me, mutual respect is paramount. Education goes far beyond the classroom; it’s about the daily interactions and the happiness of the students coming to school. A positive experience is key to dynamic learning. I am deeply committed to education and have dedicated my life to making significant contributions in each of these fields.
I am Valentina Marquez, Pedagogical Director of Dragon American School. I was born in Chile, raised in the United States, and completed my education in Spain.
I believe in a holistic approach to education. Schools should be joyful places where learners can discover themselves and find intrinsic motivation. Promoting diversity and providing a safe, nurturing environment is key. Schools must foster wellbeing, skill development, academic growth, and a sense of wonder, encouraging lifelong learning and treating children as future treasures.
I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Activity and Sports Science, which introduced me to the importance of movement and nature in child development. I later earned a degree in Education-Teacher Training (Elementary) specializing in teaching English as a foreign language, as well as a secondary teaching certification and a university expert degree in active pedagogies and Comprehensive Education.
With over twenty years of teaching experience across all educational stages, I am passionate about staying current with new pedagogical trends. Recently, I have completed courses in positive discipline, problem-based learning, and neuroscience in education.
I am thrilled to work at Dragon American School, where I can continue to learn and pursue my passion for education with wonderful colleagues.
Home
Qualia Based Learning®
History
Facilities
Our principles
Team
Admission Process