Our April Marigolds are....
Mentor Laura Ramirez and
New Teachers Joseth Veu and Sharonda Wilder!
Each month, New Teacher Support highlights mentor-mentee pairs or administrator teams who represent the type of work that builds educator resilience and provides the support new teachers need and deserve in their first years of teaching.
Read on for a chance to get to know this month's recipients as we continue to nurture and grow our Marigold Community!
Meet Mentor, Laura Ramirez!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
My name is Laura Alcala and I am a 6th-grade DLI teacher at Las Palmas Elementary. This is my first year mentoring. I was drawn to teaching because I love working with students. I love interacting with them, helping them make connections in their learning, and even learning from them!
What do you like best about mentoring? Do you have a favorite mentoring moment you’d like to share?
What I like best about mentoring is getting to know my mentees through our weekly conversations. Each of my mentees brings unique and incredible skills to their teaching profession! Getting to connect with them each week and hear about their triumphs and improvements are some of my favorite mentoring moments.
This month’s habit is Ride the Waves of Change. Some change is voluntary, but often the hardest thing about change is that we don’t want to do it, whatever “it” is. We like things the way we like them! In reflecting back on this school year, what’s one change that you’ve made as an educator (by choice or by necessity) that you’re now grateful for? How has making and embracing this change made you a better educator?
This school year has required a lot of flexibility amongst educators. One change I made this year was not bringing work home on the weekends. Prioritizing my mental health has improved my effectiveness in the classroom. The demands and desires of teaching are endless, creating a plan to manage the unavoidable stresses that come with another pandemic school year has helped to make me a better educator.
Perseverance is this month’s disposition. Think back on a recent challenge you’ve faced and overcome. How did perseverance help you take this challenge on? How were you able to eventually overcome it, and how has it impacted your teaching/mentoring?
Juggling teaching, mentoring, and the other many roles I hold in my life has been a challenge this year. Creating an organized schedule to manage my time and responsibilities has been a huge help in taking on this challenge. Additionally, knowing when to ask for help has greatly impacted me in my teaching and mentoring. Asking for help every now and then is a necessary part of life and a tool that should be modeled for teachers and students.
Meet New Teacher, Joseth Veu!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hello! I am a 6th-grade teacher at Las Palmas Elementary. I love cooking, exercising, and playing sports! I currently host a volleyball club on campus. The students and I love it! I was drawn into this profession because I knew I had a vocation to become a teacher in college. I love learning and working with children, and believe differences are made in the classroom.
What do you like best about teaching so far? Do you have a favorite teaching moment you’d like to share?
The best thing about teaching is the relationships I have made with my students. I know they feel comfortable voicing their opinions in class because of the trust we have among each other. I have some of the hardest working students who put in all their effort (the majority of the time) because they know it will benefit them as they grow in their learning. Every year, they share their life goals and I am happy to help nudge them a little closer towards them.
This month’s habit is Ride the Waves of Change. Some change is voluntary, but often the hardest thing about change is that we don’t want to do it, whatever “it” is. We like things the way we like them! In reflecting back on this school year, what’s one change that you’ve made as an educator (by choice or by necessity) that you’re now grateful for? How has making and embracing this change made you a better educator?
With meetings constantly discussing test scores, it is easy to lose focus on the emotional and social aspects when teaching young students. Towards the middle of the year, I started to focus almost entirely on the academic aspect of school and my students seemed more drained and overall less happy at school. Going into Trimester 3, I started including social and emotional learning again and it has done wonders! I am grateful that I am making the change to help them grow as a well-rounded, functioning member of society.
Meet New Teacher, Sharonda Wilder!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I currently teach 4th grade at Del Paso Heights Elementary. What drew me to this profession, at first, was the time off so I could spend more time with my family. Now I realize it really isn’t time off due to all the training that occurs during the summer. I’m still teaching because I love teaching.
What do you like best about teaching so far? Do you have a favorite teaching moment you’d like to share?
What I like best is when a “light bulb” comes on for a student. That is the most fulfilling moment any teacher can have.