Shows
ASM Behind the ScenesPassing the Mic (ft. Jingyao Wang, Jimena Roces and Sergio Merchan)Jingyao Wang, Jimena Roces and Sergio Merchan ran this podcast, but what happens when they graduate high school? In this episode, the hosts become the guests as the torch is passed down to the new cast. Why was the podcast created? What core memories has ASM provided? The original casts dives into their personal lives and memories in high school as they prepare so say goodbye.2023-05-0527 minASM Behind the ScenesGo For It (ft. Mr.Weinberg)Ben Weinberg took a decidedly different career path to arrive at his current position of Headmaster at the American School of Madrid.Ben was born in Boston and moved to St. Louis in the fourth grade. Ben went back to the East Coast to start at Bates College but left college after three semesters, determined to leave school behind. He was successful for many years working as a commercial fisherman, organic farmer, builder, and writer.Education found him when he volunteered to read aloud to a student at a Vermont elementary school. Ben began working as a Special Education paraprofessional...2023-04-1425 minASM Behind the ScenesSaving the World Through Teaching (ft. Ms.Oehlke)Darlene Oehlke was born in Hudson, Wisconsin, and spent the first 18 years of her life with a family in Afton, Minnesota. She is the middle of seven siblings. After completing a degree in chemistry at the University of Minnesota with minors in biology and mathematics, Darlene moved to Marburg, Germany to work as a chemist at Phillips University for half a year. She also led wilderness trips with Wilderness Inquiry. Following her return from Germany, she attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis to complete a degree in Physical Science education. She taught chemistry and physics in Minnesota for...2023-03-3119 minASM Behind the ScenesPizza Or Hamburger? (ft. Mr.Foinquinos)Eric Foinquinos is a fourth-year, full-time Upper School teacher at the American School of Madrid, where he currently teaches Theory of Knowledge, Filmmaking and Sociology. He has a Master’s in Music Composition and a Mechanical Engineering Diploma. Prior to his current position at ASM, he has worked in a wide array of areas as a composer for film, television, internet content and theater, as well as as a screenwriter, short film director, marketing copywriter, screenplay translator, as an engineer at an aluminum extrusion factory, and as a teacher's assistant during his engineering and music studies in University.2023-03-2415 minASM Behind the ScenesAre We In a Simulation? (ft. Mr.Eddy)Tim Eddy was born and raised in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. After finishing his B.A. in Political Science at Hamilton College, he spent five years living and teaching history in Tangier, Morocco, where he also made frequent visits to Spain. In 2015, he completed a Master's Degree in Political Science at the American University of Beirut and continued in Beirut for the following six years as a teacher of history and social studies at the American Community School of Beirut. Tim joined the American School of Madrid in 2021; he teaches Integrated Social Studies 10, Global Politics, and Theory of Knowledge and coaches...2023-03-1720 minASM Behind the ScenesCaptain Underpants Sparking the Love to Read (ft. Ms.Melnick)Maddy Melnick was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She received her IB Diploma in 20 and went on to attend Emory University to study English and German Studies. She also earned a MA in English from Emory before embarking on her teaching career in Austin, Texas. In addition to teaching, Maddy has also volunteered in museum and cultural spaces, including the Michael C. Carlos Museum, Swenys Pharmacy, and the Michael C. Carlos Museum. She worked in Kaohsiung, Taiwan as an IB Core Coordinator before moving to Madrid for the 22-23 academic year. Maddy is glad to be back...2023-03-1019 minASM Behind the ScenesNever Lose Your Dinosaur (ft. Mr.Lyvers)Zander Lyvers grew up in South Carolina, where he attended the College of Charleston as an undergrad. At CofC, he double majored in History and Secondary Education. He then moved to Brooklyn in 2010, where he enrolled in Queens College and began teaching Global History at a high school that specialized in standards-based grading and project-based learning. His first international school experience was in Hong Kong, where he taught grade 7 Humanities. He has led workshops on project-based and interdisciplinary learning for teachers in Hong Kong, Beijing, Bangkok, Kota Kinabalu, and Sofia, Bulgaria. He also leads an Action Research Collaborative for...2023-03-0324 minASM Behind the ScenesHave a Sense of Humor (ft. Dr.Bree with a special surprise ending)Irish, the eldest of seven and educated by the Sisters of Mercy in Sligo, Martina earned her B.Sc. in Experimental Physics ( minor: in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics) from University Dublin, Ireland, followed by an M.Sc and a Ph.D. in Physics.She continued in research, completing two Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Berlin, Germany, and Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, U.S.A.Moving away from research, Martina started her teaching career in Secondary Education in the U.S. She worked in private and international schools on both sides...2023-02-2419 minASM Behind the ScenesDon't Be Afraid To Make Mistakes (ft. Pedro Suarez)Pedro is an ASM alumnus who graduated in 2019. He enjoyed spending his last two years of high school at ASM and has stayed in touch with his high-school friends. Pedro is now 21 years old and he started his industrial engineering degree in Bremen, Germany (Jacobs University Bremen) right after he graduated. Now, he is doing a master’s in Data Science in Frankfurt, Germany (Frankfurt School of Finance). He has working experience in the tech field, more specifically in Data analytics and Product Management (which is his current role). He plans to go to Miami over the su...2023-02-1721 minASM Behind the ScenesEverything Learned Is Never Lost (ft. Mr. Khan)Joseph Khan has been teaching high school math for the past 10 years and prior to that, he ran a small IT company in the Wall Street area to support bond traders.He taught and was a grade-level leader in the Anglo-American School in Moscow before moving to Spain and teaching high school math at the American School of Madrid. He is the president and CEO of Kisnet Corporations and he founded Lifebahn, a non-profit portal designed to help reduce the growing income gap that poses an existential threat to today's world.Joseph Khan believes that...2023-02-1018 minASM Behind the Scenes1 Billion Dollars Worth of Water (ft. Ms. Thy)Born in Hue City, the ancient capital of Vietnam, Thy Carber pursued a teaching career at a high school outside of Hue, after graduation. There, students went to school in flood every winter and teachers sometimes had to sweep flood mud out of their classrooms. There, being one of the first teachers using technology in education, she started creating game-based lessons for students to get engaged in learning. After 5 years of teaching, she got the Ford Foundation scholarship to study for a Master in International Educational Development at Columbia University, New York, USA. Later, she worked as a teacher...2023-02-0317 minASM Behind the ScenesThinking About Thinking (ft. Mr. Dillon)Terrence R. Dillon was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. After finishing his BA in History and Economics with Secondary Education at Saint Joseph's University, New York, he explored multiple pathways including pre-med school and the service industry before becoming a secondary school teacher in the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE).After six years in the NYC DOE, Terrence moved to Colombia as part of his graduate school studies and ended up staying for seven years, working as a coordinator, project team leader, and teacher of AP Economics, Current Events, and Contemporary Latin...2023-01-2727 minASM Behind the ScenesSwimming in Technology? (ft. Mr. McCallister)Hailing from Fairbanks, Alaska; Hunter McCallister grew up on the ski trails and swimming pools. Upon graduating high school he was recruited to swim for and attend the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, where he completed his Bachelor's degree. The next four years were spent brewing coffee, working on boats, and coaching young aspiring swimmers. Hunter returned to UW to complete a Master of Education but was recruited partway through to come teach and build hands-on experience for students in Comunidad Madrid's Bilingual Secondary education. Hunter has been a technology educator at ASM for five years.2023-01-1324 minASM Behind the ScenesFrom Farmer to High School Principal (ft. Mr. Bolster)Born in Cork, Ireland, Felim Bolster graduated from High School in Ireland and went to Technical College for 2 years before transferring to study Medical Physics in the UK. Felim also trained to be a teacher in the UK and started his teaching career there. he has lived and taught in the UK, Abu Dhabi, Brussels, and now in Madrid and ASM. Felim believes that every student should be able to find their own individual journey in life and that not always are we ready when we are supposed to be ready. This was certainly the case for Felim when...2022-12-3023 minASM Behind the ScenesDrummer, Teacher, or Both? (ft. Mr. Dempsey)Rónán Dempsey was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. After finishing secondary education he attended University College Dublin, completing a degree in English Literature and Philosophy, and then a Master's Degree in Philosophy. He returned to university to complete a postgraduate diploma in education at Trinity College Dublin. He spent six years living and teaching in La Guajira, Colombia, and Bogotá, Colombia, before moving to Madrid in 2018. This is Rónán´s fifth year at the American School of Madrid, where he teaches high-school English, hosts the Philosophy ASA, and works as a Grade Level Leader, curren...2022-12-2321 minASM Behind the ScenesDrummer, Teacher, or Both? (ft. Mr Dempsey)Rónán Dempsey was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. After finishing secondary education he attended University College Dublin, completing a degree in English Literature and Philosophy, and then a Master's Degree in Philosophy. He returned to university to complete a postgraduate diploma in education at Trinity College Dublin. He spent six years living and teaching in La Guajira, Colombia, and Bogotá, Colombia, before moving to Madrid in 2018. This is Rónán´s fifth year at the American School of Madrid, where he teaches high-school English, hosts the Philosophy ASA, and works as a Grade Level Leader, curren...2022-12-2321 minASM Behind the ScenesIntroducing ASM Behind the ScenesASM Behind the Scenes – the podcast where questions are asked and answers are provided – explores the things you don't know about the high school staff and alumni. Host seniors Jimena Roces, Jingyao Wang, and Sergio Merchan bring you stories and conversations about high school and college. You will find this podcast sometimes funny, sometimes awkward, but always relatable.2022-12-1200 min