Over the past ten years I have served as Bilingual/English as a Second Language Teacher for the New York City Department of Education, teaching Middle School and High School.
As a New York City Teaching Fellow, I gained resilience in facing the many challenges of being a teacher for students with disabilities and feel empowered to continue implementing this philosophy in the classroom. A most valuable lesson learned is that students will rise to the occasion when the bar is set high. I strive to instill in my students the confidence to reach for higher achievement and to overcome obstacles in their paths. While cognizant of my student's special needs, I also am able to see in them the strengths they possess from within that may level the playing field and prepare them for High School and beyond.
As a Bilingual teacher for English Language Learners, I realize that my students will initially struggle when presented with rigorous text. As such, it is important to convey to my students that learning is a partnership between teacher, student and fellow classmates. It is through rich, collaborative discussion that students gain confidence in the language skills they will later implement in their writing. I understand that partnered discussion is key to scaffolding and differentiation serving as an entry point to their content area curriculum. These academic skills transfer over to an earnest love of reading and written expression of ideas.
In implementing classroom instruction, I understand the importance of reflection and setting concrete goals as a path to success. This is true of myself, as teacher, as well as of my students. Checks for understanding to gauge where students are in the content and where they need to be, inform my instructional goals daily. Likewise, I encourage my students to reflect upon their learning and identify areas of growth and areas where growth is still needed. I remind my students of the power of "yet"; that their work is a continual process of self-improvement, and not a finite determination of passing or failure.
Understanding the myriad diversity in our student population, I value the cultural capital each student brings to the classroom and make every effort to be responsive to its unique expression. I feel very strongly that when a student feels he is welcome, valued and acknowledged within his classroom community, he will deepen his learning and foster meaningful connections between academics and his personal life.
As a native Spanish Speaker of Hispanic descent, I can identify with my students on a very personal level and convey that each and every one of them is a valuable asset to our community. Likewise, I realize the importance of parent engagement and approach students' families as partners in their child's education. Reassuring parents that my commitment to their student extends beyond the classroom to a caring investment in our community's future, I believe is key in establishing a relationship of trust that ultimately benefits the student.
As a member of a collaborative team of teachers, I hope to find a community that welcomes open dialogue; in which our first and foremost purpose is that of serving the students. With this in mind, I am committed to putting forth my best effort as teacher and as part of a faculty that strives to work hard for the school's overall success. I understand that this work sometimes extends beyond the classroom into "doing what it takes" to providing the best learning environment for our students.