I am a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, where I received my Master of Science in Education. I also hold a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a minor in English from Grand Canyon University. I am licensed to teach Spanish K-12, English Language Arts 7-12, Elementary K-6, ESOL K-12, and Special Education K-12. I am currently a high school AP and Honors Spanish teacher. Since 2018, nearly 100% of my students, the majority of whom are not native Spanish speakers, have passed the AP Spanish Language & Culture exam. During my 23 years as a public educator, I have taught a diverse set of learners whose educational needs have been equally diverse. I have met the needs of students of various learning styles and cultural and language backgrounds through the use of strategies such as standards-aligned, differentiated lesson planning, scaffolding, vocabulary pre-teaching, graphic organizers, and adapted assignments. By means of pre-assessments, formative assessments, and summative assessments, I have successfully tracked student progress and promoted student academic success while not compromising what I consider to be the most important aspects of my philosophy of education. While the purpose of education is to gain knowledge, acquire competency, and learn appropriate behavior, an ideal education also allows a person to develop critical thinking ability, organizational skills, and responsibility. As a teacher, I recognize my role as one of the first and perhaps most important nurturers of the skills and qualities that will motivate students to be competent, empathetic citizens who will want to be lifelong learners.