Third Grade Bilingual Teacher

One reason I wanted to become a teacher was because of my childhood. As a former English Language Learner, I faced various challenges. Growing up I felt the language barrier with my parents and to me it seemed like language was a very powerful tool. Therefore, one factor that influenced me to pursue a career in education was to help parents like my mom and dad and provide them with the proper tools and resources they need to help their children at home. Moreover, I always wanted to be an advocate for English Language Learners and provide students who are like myself the opportunities and resources that are available to them. I cherish the opportunity to share my experience growing up as an ESL student with my fellow students. I can understand their struggle of coming from another place and having a different culture. At the same time my students are trying to learn about the new culture and assimilate into the new culture. My students are always enthusiastic to share their own culture, but also thrilled to learn about the American culture and I enjoy being part of their learning experience. Therefore, these factors allowed me to pursue an alternate route program in teaching after earning my bachelor’s degree. I further pursed a master’s degree in Bilingual Education and a master’s degree in Reading Instruction to gain an in-depth understanding in the field, to be a better advocate for my students, and to be a more effective educator.

I believe that all students can learn and my goal as a teacher is to reach all types of learners. My educational and childhood experience has enabled me to understand some of the obstacles that children encounter in the classroom. My teaching style focuses on incorporating cooperative grouping, project-based activities, collaborative discussions, and sheltered instruction in my daily instruction. I ensure that all the children in my classroom are empowered despite the obstacles they may face, as they too can achieve academic success. Another goal of mine is to foster and maintain an open, honest, positive, communicative, and supportive classroom environment where all my students feel safe, comfortable, and appropriately challenged. Lastly, diversity, equity, and inclusion are important factors in my classroom. I believe every student deserves an inclusion and equitable learning environment where they are celebrated, acknowledged, and respected because of the uniqueness they bring to the classroom each day.

Speech & Language Specialist

As a speech-language specialist, my primary goal has been to improve our students’ ability to communicate in the classroom, and in life. Reflecting on my journey, speech-language pathology was a second career for me, which guided me to becoming a lifelong learner. My first career was raising my two daughters where I experienced firsthand how language development affected their unique educational process. As I began taking classes at my community college, my daughters began preschool and kindergarten. While they advanced through the grades, I did as well. Seven years later I graduated with a BA in Hearing and Speech Sciences, and a MA in Speech-Language Pathology. Part of my studies included completing an externship in a school setting where I had the opportunity to complete mine here in Elizabeth Public Schools. As I worked with the students, teachers, support staff, administrators, and parents, it became clear to me, this is where I wanted to be. 

Some of my responsibilities have included evaluating students, developing individualized education programs, collaborating with other professionals on the child study team and school-based teams, providing direct services to students, and ensuring my skillset met the needs of our students. I returned to higher education and earned my EdD in education. Another aspect of my career, which has been very fulfilling, has been instructing in higher education and mentoring graduate students during their school-based externships, of which many of these former graduate students are now my colleagues here in Elizabeth. As I complete my 24th year, I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to work with so many students and families, and other professionals, all here in Elizabeth Public Schools.