BIENVENIDO A OLSA INTERNATIONAL
Becoming the Stand-Out Teacher in an AI World
CHECK OUT THE 6-WEEK
SPECIAL SUMMER SESSION
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE!
LANGUAGE EDUCATION & AMBASSADOR FELLOWSHIP - LEAF
FUTURE-PROOF YOUR TEACHING CAREER IN 5 MONTHS
MISSION: To future-proof your teaching career by mastering high-value human skills—coaching, leadership, and emotional intelligence—that remain untouchable by AI. LEAF equips you with the interpersonal depth that algorithms simply cannot replicate.
MASTERY: Gain massive professional ROI with over 180+ lead-teaching hours. This volume of high-stakes classroom experience far exceeds industry standards, qualifying LEAF graduates for top-tier international teaching contracts and leadership roles.
SOCIAL IMPACT: Enrollment fees fund English scholarships for local Colombians via the OLSA Foundation, leveraging high-quality language instruction as a powerful tool for upward mobility. By joining the LEAF program, you are more than a student—you are a Patron of Opportunity.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ANOTHER LEVEL
- Residency in Medellín: A 5-month immersive stay in one of the world’s most vibrant cities, known for its “Eternal Spring” and thriving expat/digital nomad community. Program includes private bedroom & bathroom in a shared house.
- Spanish Fluency: All tiers include Spanish instruction (Conversational or Certified), ensuring deep cultural integration and the ability to navigate daily life in Colombia.Professional Development: Dive into 20 high-impact workshops focusing on Instructional Agility & Interpersonal Depth adding activities and teaching techniques to your teacher “bag of tricks”.
- Leadership Development: Build real-world experience creating activities for and managing large, high-energy groups at OLSA’s famous Wednesday night language exchanges.
- Academic & Cultural Immersion: Monthly excursions to venues that will enrich your future classes. Coffee Finca Tour, Downtown Historical & Cultural Tour, Comuna 13 Tour, Guatapé Tour and Exotic Fruit Tour.
- Academic Credit: LEAF program earns 9 academic units through Westminster University in Utah, USA. Summer program earns ___ Professional Development credits.
PATRON OF OPPORTUNITY
As a LEAF Fellow, you are more than an educator; you are a Patron of Opportunity on the front lines of a mission of upward mobility. In Medellín, the ‘estrato’ system—a rigid socio-economic ranking from one to six—isn’t just a label; it is a wall. For those in the lower estratos, where families often struggle without basic utilities or sustainable wages, the cycle of multi-generational poverty feels like an unbreakable sentence. But through the OLSA Foundation and your participation in the LEAF Program, we can help improve the job prospects of hundreds of people by giving them the power of conversational English fluency.
THE WORKSHOPS
Establishes the “My Name is Teacher” (MNT) identity. Participants learn that a teacher is a professional leader—a “benevolent dictator”—responsible for the results of the room. By rejecting the role of “friend” or “peer,” the educator creates a predictable hierarchy that allows students to focus on learning rather than social maneuvering.
Introduces the “Master Thief” mindset, where educators learn to adapt high-impact tactics from decades of veteran experience. The teacher uses high-integrity influence—such as gamification and social engineering—to steer students into performing the difficult work required for growth.
A profiling system that maps each student’s dreams, career goals, and personal stresses. By understanding that one student is motivated by aviation while another is distracted by family needs, the educator creates instant bridges of trust, personalizing the learning experience.
A tactic where the teacher assigns students to present the next lesson. By “Flipping the Script,” students perform a deep dive into the logic of a topic. The teacher facilitates from the sidelines, maximizing student ownership and public speaking confidence.
Based on the philosophy that the student must do the work to see results. Educators act as “coaches” who minimize their own talking time to maximize the students’ active “reps.” If the teacher does all the talking, only the teacher gets fit.
Teaches educators to manage the room using proximity, physical movement, and non-verbal cues. This preserves the teacher’s vocal energy and prevents “white noise,” allowing the educator to exert total control while keeping the focus on the students’ active oral practice.
Focuses on keeping learning “fresh” by mastering multiple desk formations, including U-shapes, clusters, and “no-desk” setups. By eliminating “dead zones,” teachers ensure every student stays within a “strike zone” where they can be easily prompted and engaged.
Provides scripts to handle behavior challenges while retaining authority. The “Power Paradox” teaches that threatening to “get the principal” surrenders your power to a superior. Participants learn to handle disruptions internally to maintain their status as the ultimate leader.
Covers “Structural Reinforcement” like token economies that operate consistently. Participants learn that rewards should be tied to effort and bravery in speaking rather than just perfect accuracy, building a measurable culture of daily achievement.
Addresses persistent challenges by creating support plans that address the root cause of a student’s struggle. By using personal data regarding a student’s stresses, the teacher negotiates private “contracts” to help the student succeed in an inclusive environment.
The “Innovation License” of the program. Based on the “Wright Brothers” rule—if you don’t try something new, you never fly—teachers are encouraged to scrap the textbook and experiment with creative, original lessons as long as they achieve the core goals.
The skill of tailoring one lesson to meet diverse needs simultaneously. Educators learn to adjust the complexity of tasks for eight different fluency levels, ensuring every student in the “peloton” moves at their own maximum speed.
Fast, non-graded assessments to check for real-time understanding. A successful teacher never asks “Do you understand?” (a passive question). Instead, they ask “What do you understand?”, forcing the student to reveal the actual depth of their comprehension.
Contrasts “Passive Learning” (worksheets) with “Active Learning” (real-time interaction). Participants learn that while worksheets build theory, only active practice builds fluency. Educators learn to transform dry textbook points into high-output, real-time conversational drills.
Teaches the art of the “PUNT”—the courage to ditch a failing lesson plan. Educators learn to be “Actors,” adjusting their persona to be what the students need. It includes the “Rule of 5”: having five go-to games ready to save a boring class.
Focuses on the Warm-Up (first 10 mins) and the Exit-Ticket (last 10 mins). The warm-up sets the energy, while the exit-ticket ensures every student leaves with verified achievement and a clear answer to “What did you learn today?”
Teaches compliments as a “commodity.” Using a “Sandwich” method (Praise—Correction—Praise), educators deliver criticism while keeping the relationship intact. Public, specific validation elevates the teacher’s leadership status and makes future redirections easier for students to accept.
Stresses that as a teacher, you are the Ambassador for a whole nation. Fellows must suppress personal biases to objectively explain cultural spectrums. The job is not to politicize the room, but to give students the tools to express their own beliefs.
Anchors the educator in non-negotiable ethics. Participants learn to maintain a “Professional Gap” and moral distance. Strict mandates include avoiding being alone in a room with a student and avoiding physical contact to protect both student and professional.
Focuses on the habits that earn promotions. Fellows learn Solution-Based Leadership: never bringing a problem to a boss without proposing solutions. It emphasizes being conversationally proficient and hardworking to earn—and then ask for—leadership positions.
THE PACKAGES
THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUTER
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CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH FOR IMPROVED SPANISH FLUENCY
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THE TRAINING - 20 LEAF WORKSHOPS
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THE PRACTICUM - 18 WEEKS ESL CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
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MOTHLY CULTURAL EXCURSION
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100.000 COP DAILY FOOD CREDIT AT OUR ON-CAMPUS RESTAURANT - THE GARAGE BAR
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9 UNIVERSITY COURSE CREDITS FOR INTERNATIONAL TEACHING 650 AT WESTMINSTER UNIVERSITY
THE IMMERSION RESIDENT
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PRIVATE BEDROOM & BATHROOM IN A SHARED HOUSE
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CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH FOR IMPROVED SPANISH FLUENCY
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THE TRAINING -20 LEAF WORKSHOPS
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THE PRACTICUM - 18 WEEKS ESL CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
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MONTHLY CULTURAL EXCURSION
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100.000 COP DAILY FOOD CREDIT AT OUR ON-CAMPUS RESTAURANT - THE GARAGE BAR
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9 UNIVERSITY COURSE CREDITS FOR INTERNATIONAL TEACHING 650 AT WESTMINSTER UNIVERSITY
THE CAREER ELITE
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PRIVATE BEDROOM & BATHROOM IN A SHARED HOUSE
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CERTIFIED SPANISH COURSES - COURSES COME WITH CERTIFIED GRAMMAR COURSES + CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH CLASSES AND QUALIFY FOR A COLOMBIAN STUDENT VISA
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THE TRAINING - 20 LEAF WORKSHOPS
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THE PRACTICUM - 18 WEEKS ESL CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
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MONTHLY CULTURAL EXCURSION
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100.000 COP DAILY FOOD CREDIT AT OUR ON-CAMPUS RESTAURANT - THE GARAGE BAR
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9 UNIVERSITY COURSE CREDITS FOR INTERNATIONAL TEACHING 650 AT WESTMINSTER UNIVERSITY
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9 UNIVERSITY COURSE CREDITS FOR CERTIFIED SPANISH A1:225, A2:226, B1:325, B2:326 AT WESTMINSTER UNIVERSITY
SPECIAL 6-WEEK SUMMER SESSION
JUNE 14 - JULY 25, 2026
LEAF 2026: The Summer Your Resume (and Soul) Grows a Heart
6-WEEK SPECIAL SUMMER SESSION
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8-WEEKS PRIVATE BEDROOM & BATHROOM IN A SHARED HOUSE - JUNE 1 THROUGH JULY 31
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6-WEEKS CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH FOR IMPROVED SPANISH FLUENCY
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THE TRAINING - 6 LEAF WORKSHOPS
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THE PRACTICUM - 5 WEEKS ESL CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
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2 CULTURAL EXCURSIONS
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6-WEEKS OF 100.000 COP DAILY FOOD CREDIT AT OUR ON-CAMPUS RESTAURANT - THE GARAGE BAR
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1 CEU (CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT) FOR EACH WEEK ATTENDED THRU WESTMINSTER UNIVERSITY FOR INTERNATIONAL ESL TEACHING, SPANISH LANGUAGE, COLOMBIAN CULTURE & LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES
