My path towards becoming an educator and conducting educational research is a rather unconventional one. After working at an English writing center, reinforcing ESL skills, I completed a science summer program at the University of Cambridge and went on to study medicine in the Caribbean island of Grenada. Soon after, I recognized my passion for teaching and helping others through language. I got a job as an ESL linguistics content creator for a private online education company and then went on to teach Basic English as an English Instructor at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM). While I teaching at the UPRM I completed an MA in English Education with a certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and I had the opportunity of presenting my research in language teaching motivation at a national TESOL convention and at the Conference in Higher Education Pedagogy at VTech. In 2016 I went to Peru to teach English, while working with Peruvian teachers on a project to develop English teaching materials and attending the Catholic University of Peru to obtain a certificate of Education for Social Change. These experiences gave me a broader sense of the importance of global education and creating cross-cultural awareness in students. Thus, my perspective on teaching became centered on social change, informed by Dorneyi’s taxonomy of language learning approaches. For that reason, I teach to promote social change through motivational activities in the language classroom. After a 3 month strike at the University of Puerto Rico and a national fiscal crisis, I moved to California and was given the opportunity of teaching at St. John Catholic School.
My Teaching Philosophy
One of the principal objectives in my teaching is the development of social justice thinkers. I attempt to foster social justice through motivation in my classroom by creating a space open to cross-disciplinary interactions. This has given my students a broader perspective on language use and on the importance of collaboration and integration. As an educator, I also believe two of the most important traits students have to develop in the classroom are critical thinking and self-confidence. I define critical thinking as the process by which students reach a conclusion through objective analysis of a topic. I am passionate about teaching English because it is the medium most of my students use to express themselves. I have the responsibility of helping my students become critical thinkers by exposing them to current and relevant topics they will come across in their language use and having them form their own ideas and opinions about them. In addition, I believe inclusion of diverse ideas and points of views within the classroom promotes learning. Students need to feel as equals to express themselves freely and participate without fear of judgment from their peers. I achieve this by creating brave spaces in the classroom for their participation. Within these spaces my students not only feel free to express their opinions on controversial topics, but also have the confidence to argue constructively.
Moreover, I also implement repetition and collaboration through teaching as a means of increasing knowledge acquisition. Through years of experience I have noticed students learning is better through repetition, as they grasp concepts faster if those concepts are explained by someone they can relate with better, such as their peers. Therefore, in my classroom there is always a form of group activity to encourage sharing, and constant repetition of theory and ideas to promote learning rather than memorization. This practice eliminates the banking method, as theorized by educator, Paulo Freire.
Social awareness and critical thinking are better incorporated through thematic units, while providing practice in basic grammar skills. I have created a unit on stereotypes to promote cross-cultural awareness, subsequently targeting my students’ writing and speaking skills in English. As part of grammar I focus on theory when introducing the topic, but the rest of the class is centered on breaking stereotypes and promoting individual and collective respect. Hence, a project has been developed which not only covers all stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Knowledge, but it also focuses on grammar and creating social justice thinkers within the language classroom. Another interactive activity I often do is Jeopardy. To fit class objectives I emphasize grammar as the main topic. The class divides in groups and students collectively share ideas within their groups before appointing one student to answer individual questions. There are over thirty questions which repeat the main concepts, and each individual student gets to work cooperatively as well as practice their speaking individually. Additionally, I implement limited code-switching when I am explaining a project or an assignment as well as when I present a major point. My philosophy of teaching is constantly being shaped by my current evolution as an educator and different teaching experiences I confront. Furthermore, exposure to varying cultures and experiences has enabled me to make diverse language connections and tackle dissimilar learning environments staying aware of the importance of promoting individuality, distinct cultures, and pressing social issues.
Planning & Preparation
Organization is key! I keep a course outline with weekly and daily lesson plans for each class. There is a purpose to every activity that I do in class. As we cover different lessons each day or week I make an effort to have the class work on projects that connect to a central theme and tie everything together.
To facilitate instruction I provide all important course materials online. Students' grades, assignments, and all other course related materials are kept in a specific folder I have for each student.
How I Teach
I would like to say I have one way of teaching but I don't. At the beginning of the school year I implement different approaches, and as students react to them I make adjustments. I use presentations and a variety of technological resources to engage students and have them actively participate in class.