During my elementary school experience, I attended 3 different schools. I later attended the same middle school for 2 years and during my high school tenure I attended 3 different high schools so I moved quite a bit throughout my academic career. I believe this molded me to become independent and the survival skills I needed later in life. It can be very tough to constantly start over at a new school on a consistent basis. This is one of the reasons I am passionate about teaching elementary school students and feel I can relate and support students that have similar stories. All of this moving around made me a pretty shy kid because I was always the “new kid.” Whenever I see a student that appears to be shy, I do my best to break them out of it by the end of the year as it took me all the way into my adulthood to break out of my shyness.
Both of my parents were born and raised in Mexico but they knew that in order for us to have more opportunities and a better life, they wanted us educated in the United States. I didn’t like moving around from school to school but I understand their reasoning and am truly grateful. My dad dropped out of school in the sixth grade and my mom graduated from high school and attended community college for a year. Therefore, I was the first in my family to attend a 4 year university and graduate.
I used to work as a social worker prior to teaching and within that company I was later promoted to a program specialist where I taught new employees how to do a job I worked in for about 8 years. This was the first spark that I experienced and envisioned about teaching. I enjoyed it. I had already earned my bachelor’s in business management but I began the pursuit of a Master’s degree and teaching credential simultaneously because I made the decision that I wanted to teach children. My student teaching experience definitely broke me out of my “stiff” posture and molded me into an elementary school teacher. My master teachers were angels sent from above as they taught everything they know took care of me as a mother takes care of their son. Both of these teachers were teachers of the year at some point and modeled a great deal of passion to serve. I completed my student teaching in June 2010 and then hired later that year at King Chavez Prep as a temporary 6th, 7th & 8th grade PE teacher. A couple months later, I was called for an interview at Lindo Park Elementary and was hired as a temporary contract 1st grade teacher starting in October 2010. In March 2011, I was offered a permanent contract to become a full-time teacher. My leap of faith and career change had finally reached it’s conclusion, or at least the end of that chapter. This leap of faith gave me a deep sense that everything works for the greater good for those that live according to their purpose and I try my best to teach my students that great things happen when they work hard and make good choices.
My experience at Lindo Park has given me the awareness of how much male role models are needed in the lives of children and the necessity to have bilingual teachers has given me great opportunities to serve this community. I believe I came into education at a great time with great changes such as the implementation of technology, common core standards and new curriculum across the board. I don’t really feel all of these changes as I wasn’t really stuck on the “old way” of teaching. I only know the new and current practices and I love the constant change because we’re always looking to improve.
This is my story and some of the experiences that shaped my vision as a teacher and future leader.