Gabriela Zini will teach Spanish at the Upper School this fall. She holds a degree in biochemistry from Córdoba National University and completed additional training at the National Academy of Medicine before earning her specialist degree in immunology. She earned additional degree validation in biological sciences from the University of Turin, Italy.
“I believe that passionate and engaging teaching encourages active learning,” said Zini. “In my classroom, I would like to provide students with a challenging learning environment, where creativity is used to develop the skills for an effective language learning experience.”
No stranger to Darlington, Zini is the mother of Giulia Verzino ('19), who enrolled at the school as a freshman last fall.
Fluent in both Spanish and Italian, the new Spanish teacher has taught abroad as well as in the United States. She is a citizen of both Italy and Argentina and a permanent resident of the U.S.
“I would like to share with my students my past experiences of living in different countries; meeting different people; and learning about their culture, studying and working abroad,” said Zini. “I also would like to convey the importance of learning a foreign language; in my experience, this is a key element to allow people communicate effectively and be open minded in a world ever more global and interconnected.”
Zini has had a 20-year medical career, which allowed her to teach at many different levels at various points in her career. She had wanted to be a teacher since she was a child and has always enjoyed teaching when given the opportunity to do so. Most recently, Zini taught Berry College Elementary and Middle School students about the Italian language and culture. She has also been published several times for her medical research.
“Teaching should not only be about transfer of knowledge and notions to students, but it should be an opportunity where students also actively participate and contribute to the learning experience,” said Zini. “I view this as a two-way process.”
In her free time, Zini enjoys making jewelry, quilting, scrapbooking, reading, taking care of her veggie garden and cooking and spending time with her family. Zini’s daughter, Giulia Verzino (‘19), is a rising sophomore at Darlington.
“As parent, I feel safe at Darlington,” said Zini. “As teacher, I see it as a well organized environment with many talented and dedicated teachers and staff. I look forward to become part of it.”
Editor's Note: This article was written by Abby Sklar ('18), who is serving as an intern in the Communication Office this summer.
