This is one in a series of Q&A’s with teachers new to Denair Unified in 2019-20
Family: Husband, Jose; daughter, Emma (at DMS); and son, Victor (at DECA’s Dual Immersion Program)
School: Denair Middle School
Subject taught: English Language Arts
Experience and education: I hold a bachelor’s degree in both criminal justice and psychology, as well as a multiple subject teaching credential from CSU Stanislaus. This is my fourth year in education and my first year teaching sixth-grade language arts.
What attracted you to Denair? I have family and friends who are a part of the Denair community. I was attracted to Denair because it is a small town and a very tight-knit community.
What most inspires you about teaching? Knowing that I have the ability to positively impact the lives of my students and their families.
What is a challenge you look forward to tackling this year? Effectively developing reading and writing lessons that are going to inspire and motivate my students.
What is your favorite teaching tool or activity? While there are many tools and activities helpful to teaching, my favorite is building community in the classroom. I like to get to know my students (their likes, their dislikes, what excites them, what they look forward to in the future, etc.). I’ve learned that by taking the time to make these genuine individual connections, my students are willing to work harder in pursuit of their own learning goals.
What do you want your students to remember? That I feel privileged to be a part of their educational journey and that they will ALWAYS be my students.
How can parents support what you do? Understand that teachers are human; we are not perfect. We will make mistakes and we will lose sleep worrying about their children. Parents can support us by always supporting their children and encouraging them to do the best that they can.
What would surprise people about your job? It truly is the most rewarding occupation. Witnessing a struggling student make connections to the content will always be my favorite!What do you do for fun? I spend quality time with my family and friends, and I love to travel within California! We truly are fortunate to live in such a beautiful state.
