I graduated in 1988 with a BA in English, but my plan had never been to stop there.  I wanted to teach so I immediately enrolled in the College of Education at UNM to begin working on the classes I would need to earn my teaching certificate.  I was finished with that in the spring of '89 and was invited to apply to the Master's Fellowship led by Jean Casey.  I was one of 30 teachers accepted into the program that year.  This experience was very important for forming the teacher I became.  My supervisor, Dr. Rose Mitchell, was instrumental in helping become a better educator.  She offered support, materials and class visits to help me along the way.  Having that constant support for my first year of teaching made all the difference in the world to me.  I learned from this experience that planning is key to a successful lesson.  Students will work harder in class if they know that you have prepared for them and have a structure that they are comfortable with and understand.  Be firm but compassionate.  Get to know students where they are at so that you can build on what they already know and move them forward.  Finally, work like a coach in the classroom.  Teach them the skills, give them many opportunities to practice them and then let them make them their own by bringing their unique skills into play while they use them.  These three things have served me well in the three decades I have been a classroom teacher. 

After finishing my first year as a Graduate Intern Teacher for UNM I found myself looking for a full time job where I could continue to work and improve my skills.  I had worked one summer at a summer camp between Gallup and Zuni, New Mexico and remembered that Zuni had their own public school district.  I had loved the area and saw they were looking to hire an English teacher.  I applied and was hired.  This turned out to be a great start to my career.  In a small district and school, you wear many hats.  I was not only the English teacher, I was also an assistant track coach, a class sponsor, and the Drill Team Instructor.  I was given classes that had no curriculum and I had to create it from scratch.  These things really pushed and challenged me.  In addition I was far away from family and friends and had to deal with lonliness and issolation.  I had to learn how to get by immerged in a cultural setting very different from my own.  I learned how important it was to build relationships with my fellow teachers, the students and the parents of my students.  I also joined many of the community activities so I could be more aware and present in understanding the culture of my students.  These experiences formed the teacher that I was becoming and gave me the best foundation I could possibly have had to work with students from all backgrounds.