"It was such an honor to be named the Teacher of the Year at my school! I grew up in the same school district that I currently teach in, so I get to pay it forward to the schools that raised me."

Hometown

Dallas, Texas

Department

Curriculum Studies

What do you teach? What is your philosophy of teaching?
I am currently teaching 8th grade science and 7th grade science gifted and talented (GT). My philosophy of teaching is that students learn best through collaboration, having a growth mindset, and positive classroom engagement. I believe these three qualities are essential for learning in the classroom as they provide a foundation for students to work together with their peers and teachers. A student developing their own growth mindset understands that learning is a process and they should always seek out ways to improve.

How did you become interested in the field of education? The Curriculum Studies Program?
Ever since Career Day during elementary school, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I had fantastic teachers growing up who taught me the importance of education. I was also appreciative of their passion and mentorship throughout college. I have always known that I wanted to work with students.

I became interested in the Curriculum Studies program shortly after moving to Hawaiʻi. After meeting with Dr. Patricia Halagao to learn more about the program, I saw how much the curriculum studies program would help me in the classroom. I appreciated that the program was flexible and allowed me to choose courses that fit my interest and needs as a teacher.

You were recently named Teacher of the Year at your school. What does this mean to you?
It was such an honor to be named the Teacher of the Year at my school! I grew up in the same school district that I currently teach in, so I get to pay it forward to the schools that raised me. It means the world, knowing that I am working with students who are also from my hometown. At the end of April, my school district will host a ceremony to recognize each campus teacher of the year and name only one elementary and secondary Teacher of the Year.

How has the COE program impacted or benefited your career path?
The COE at UH has impacted my life in many ways. Besides growing my confidence as a teacher, I became a part of a great network of educators. I continue to collaborate and remain in contact with them to this day. I also had a great opportunity to grow as a researcher from my mentor Dr. Halagao.

Is there anyone in particular who inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I believe that all of my teachers had some part in shaping me into the educator I am today. Growing up, I remember watching them and admiring their ability to have compassion, determination and flexibility to meet all their students’ needs. I love knowing that I am still connected to many of them somehow. As for my family in the education field, I have a cousin who is currently a teacher and my younger sister who teaches PreK3.

What are your future plans with your degree?
My future plan is to remain in the classroom and grow as a leader within my team and department. I love applying all the knowledge I gained through research and collaborating during my time in the Curriculum Studies program.

Anything else you would like to include?
I had such a great experience in the COE Curriculum Studies program. At the beginning of my journey, I was worried that I would struggle to complete my program while working as a full-time teacher. However, that was not the case. There were many teachers also completing their masterʻs program, and I enjoyed collaborating and getting to know other educators throughout the islands. Each professor I had valued our experiences as educators and challenged us to grow and improve in our practice. While in the program, I reflected a lot on my experiences as a bilingual student. I discovered my passion for working with multilingual and multicultural students and that each language and culture should be represented in classrooms. I was also a part of the inaugural cohort for the Multilingual Multicultural Professional Practice Licensure Program.