About Me

Mission Statement:

My mission as a classroom teacher is to provide student-centered bilingual instruction through differentiated lessons that foster individual student learning while engaging students in higher order thinking.  Also, to create and foster a caring and cooperative learning environment where students are challenged academically and encouraged to become stakeholders in their own learning community.   

Professional Background:

I have been in the Rochester City School District for over 21 years in various roles.  In the role of  certified bilingual teacher I have served over 14 years.  I began my teaching career providing Spanish as a second language instruction to children at a parochial school as well as to adult learners at BOCES in Livingston County.  Then, I became an elementary bilingual teacher in the city of Rochester, New York and also taught in Houston, Texas.  The larger part of my professional career I have spent teaching  elementary bilingual education, specially second grade.  As a classroom teacher I have also taught first grade and served as a Math Lead Teacher in Houston, Texas and Math Intervention Specialist Grades 3-5 in Rochester, NY.   In addition to a career in teaching, I also possess a degree in Travel & Tourism with a   background in Business Administration which I had the opportunity of utilizing working as a travel agent and later owning  and operating a small  travel agency business   in the past.  My wish after retirement is to enjoy traveling abroad learning about the different cultures and  sharing my experiences with others.  

Professional Committees:

In my professional career I have enjoyed participating in a number of committees including; School Base Planning Committee, Library Committee, Leadership Committee, Bilingual Collegial Circle, Greenhouse Innovation Summer Program, and K-2 Assessment Collaborative, among others. 

Education Background and Credentials:

I completed my undergraduate studies at SUNY Geneseo and master's degree in TESOL at Nazareth College.  My credentials include  New York State  Professional Certification in Childhood Education Grades 1-6, Bilingual Education, and a second Major in Spanish.  In addition, prior to my career as a teacher I also possess a degree in Travel and Tourism from Sacred Heart University in Puerto Rico as well as college credits toward Business Administration and Marketing from Monroe Community College in NY.

Hobbies & Personal Interests:

My hobbies include traveling, reading, playing tennis, kayaking, dancing, drawing, and spending time with family and friends.  Additionally, I enjoy going to the movies and eating out.  My favorite movie genres include comedy, action-thrillers, and mystery.  Also, my favorite books include Charlotte's Web by author E.B. White and Don Quijote de la Mancha by Spanish author Miguel Cervantes, among others.  

In sum, I have a strong passion for travel, culture, history, teaching and learning.  Therefore, my hope one day is to be able to combine all my passions in an effort to provide children with authentic opportunities based on expeditionary learning, cultural studies, world explorations, and inquiry-based learning.