James Doga
Middle School Counselor, Spanish Teacher & Band Teacher
As a native Costa Rican, James is proud of the warmth and hospitality inherent to his culture. James has taught languages to children and adults throughout his college studies at University of Costa Rica, where he obtained his Bachelor’s and eventually Licentiate degree in Psychology, finally completing his studies with the International Focusing Institute, where he became a certified Focusing Trainer and Focusing Oriented Therapist. James spent 5 years as an Addiction Counselor in Costa Rica Recovery, before finding his passion for working with children and adolescents as a teacher and counselor. He spent the last 6 years at Pan-American School, one of the leading IB International schools in Costa Rica, where he worked as a Middle School Psychologist, as well as teaching English, Design, Research and Life Skills.
As a teacher, he’s proud of his ability to plan creative, well-differentiated and student-centered lessons, always making sure to foster a positive and fun classroom learning environment. He is proud to be thought of as authentic, patient and caring by the students he has worked with. As a counselor, he will always make sure to be an open-hearted and solution focused listener who can form strong bonds with both students and their families. He likes to think of himself as being part of a bigger team including teachers, families and the community, dedicated to guiding children towards growth and providing them with the skills necessary to be successful students, human beings and global citizens.
In his personal life, he’s developed a successful career as a musician, having recorded two albums of his own and collaborated with a variety of Costa Rican artists on their recordings. When James is not teaching, you can find him practicing his jazz guitar, listening to music (hopefully live) or playing with someone. He also enjoys traveling -particularly eating and finding new ideas to incorporate into his own cooking-, hiking and spending time outdoors.
James is thrilled to be a part of this wonderful team and work with such a vibrant and talented community!
