I am currently an English Language Learner teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ELL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools as I can so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest-performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit. I know based on my personal experience that having better educational programs and games available to teachers would make a huge difference to students like my own if only more digital resources were designed with them in mind by being more accessible, effective, and of course fun to use.

I am currently an English Language Learner teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ELL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools as I can so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest-performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit. I know based on my personal experience that having better educational programs and games available to teachers would make a huge difference to students like my own if only more digital resources were designed with them in mind by being more accessible, effective, and of course fun to use.

I am currently an English Language Learner teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ELL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools as I can so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. This not only includes learning English as an entirely new language but also learning about cultural differences all while they are learning new materials in various subjects along with their peers. Due to the unique circumstances of the worldwide pandemic, many schools like my own were forced to embrace technology when we shut down our campuses in March 2020. During this time I realized there was a lack of digital resources available to support English language learners as their classrooms transitioned onto virtual platforms. Many videos or programs that teachers wanted to use did not have accessibility options such as closed captions, simplified language, or text-to-speech. In short, the programs that were available at the time did not meet the needs of my English language learning students, or frankly many other students who may have a reading, learning, or intellectual disability. Simple small alterations to the user interface such as toggling the font size of a digital text could improve the overall user experience. Besides the lack of accessibility options, another tremendous challenge was the fact that many of our students had never had their own personal computer before and were seriously lacking basic technological literacy skills making it extremely difficult to explain algebraic equations over an online video call to a middle school student who is unfamiliar with the American school system, doesn’t speak English very well, and doesn’t know how to use a computer very well either. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. Eventually, I am interested in going into academia to research how teachers can effectively implement technology into their classrooms. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming to work as an instructional designer or web developer in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest-performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit. I know based on my personal experience that having better educational programs and games available to teachers would make a huge difference to students like my own if only more digital resources were designed with them in mind by being more accessible, effective, and of course fun to use.

In our society we define “normal” as what is natural, right, and good; and so when you hear that your moods are not normal, or that your behavior is that normal, or that YOU are not normal, it becomes ingrained in you that you are not natural nor right nor good. From a young age, I carried a weight on my chest like a noose I wore as a necklace. It would tighten around me when I heard we were moving again, or when I heard that we were going to have to “get creative” in the kitchen because we were running out of food. It would tighten before every test I took in school because I knew I’d be stuck in the same place forever if I didn't do well in school. Sometimes the weight would become so great I couldn’t move or breathe and my mother eventually got me an inhaler. She didn’t understand me but she knew something was wrong and would try her best in the ways she knew how. I was given a lot of solutions to the wrong problem. I was given platitudes that “happiness is a choice” or that I should pray more to deal with my tribulations. I was often told that “Adam fell so that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” but no matter how many times my well-meaning mother or other church members would recite scripture to me, the weight would not leave. I felt trapped in a cage that I felt I had created. The grief and guilt compounded in a vicious cycle of circular reasoning that I felt bad because I felt bad. Now that I am a teacher, I can help students recognize the signs of mental illness and I help them in a way that nobody was able to help me. I try to implement social-emotional learning into my lessons so students can discover coping skills and I show them stories of protagonists from diverse backgrounds so they can see that just because they might be different doesn’t mean they aren’t “normal”. I can refer students to social workers and programs so that their basic needs can be met. Whenever I see a kid with a head full of doubts about themselves just like I once had, I know I cannot remove their necklace for them, but I can help give them the resources to loosen the knots so that they can breathe easier.

In our society we define “normal” as what is natural, right, and good; and so when you hear that your moods are not normal, or that your behavior is that normal, or that YOU are not normal, it becomes ingrained in you that you are not natural nor right nor good. From a young age, I carried a weight on my chest like a noose I wore as a necklace. It would tighten around me when I heard we were moving again, or when I heard that we were going to have to “get creative” in the kitchen because we were running out of food. It would tighten before every test I took in school because I knew I’d be stuck in the same place forever if I didn't do well in school. Sometimes the weight would become so great I couldn’t move or breathe and my mother eventually got me an inhaler. She didn’t understand me but she knew something was wrong and would try her best in the ways she knew how. I was given a lot of solutions to the wrong problem. I was given platitudes that “happiness is a choice” or that I should pray more to deal with my tribulations. I was often told that “Adam fell so that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” but no matter how many times my well-meaning mother or other church members would recite scripture to me, the weight would not leave. I felt trapped in a cage that I felt I had created. The grief and guilt compounded in a vicious cycle of circular reasoning that I felt bad because I felt bad. Now that I am a teacher, I can help students recognize the signs of mental illness and I help them in a way that nobody was able to help me. I try to implement social-emotional learning into my lessons so students can discover coping skills and I show them stories of protagonists from diverse backgrounds so they can see that just because they might be different doesn’t mean they aren’t “normal”. I can refer students to social workers and programs so that their basic needs can be met. Whenever I see a kid with a head full of doubts about themselves just like I once had, I know I cannot remove their necklace for them, but I can help give them the resources to loosen the knots so that they can breathe easier.

From a young age, I carried a weight on my chest like a noose I wore as a necklace. It would tighten around me when I heard we were moving again, or when I heard that we were going to have to “get creative” in the kitchen because we were running out of food. It would tighten before every test I took in school because I knew if I didn’t do well then I’d be stuck in the same place forever. Sometimes the weight would become so great I couldn’t move or breathe and my mother eventually got me an inhaler. She didn’t understand me but she knew something was wrong and would try her best in the ways she knew how. In fact, I was given a lot of solutions to the wrong problem. I was given platitudes that “happiness is a choice” or that I should pray more to deal with my personal tribulations. I was often told that “Adam fell so that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” but no matter how many times my well-meaning mother or other church members would recite scripture to me, the weight would not leave. I felt trapped in a cage that I felt I had created and the weight would grow heavier. Now that I am a teacher, I can help students recognize the signs of mental illness and I help them in a way that nobody was able to help me. I try to implement social-emotional learning into my lessons so students can discover coping skills and I show them stories of protagonists from diverse backgrounds so they can see that just because they might be different doesn’t mean they aren’t “normal”. I can refer students to social workers and programs so that their basic needs can be met. Whenever I see a kid with a head full of doubts about themselves just like I once had, I know I cannot remove their necklace for them, however, I can help give them the resources to loosen the knots so that they can breathe easier.

I am currently an ESL teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ESL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools I can provide them so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. This not only includes learning English as an entirely new language but also learning about cultural differences all while they are learning new materials in various subjects along with their peers. Due to the unique circumstances of the worldwide pandemic, many schools like my own were forced to embrace technology when we shut down our campuses in March 2020. During this time I realized there was a lack of digital resources available to support English language learners as their classrooms transitioned to virtual platforms. Many videos or programs that teachers wanted to use did not have accessibility options such as closed captions, simplified language, or text-to-speech. In short, the programs that were available at the time did not meet the needs of my English language learning students, or frankly many other students who may have a reading, learning, or intellectual disability. Simple small alterations to the user interface such as toggling the font size of a digital text could improve the overall user experience. Besides the lack of accessibility options, another tremendous challenge was the fact that many of our students had never had their own personal computer before and were seriously lacking basic technological literacy skills making it extremely difficult to explain algebraic equations to a middle school student who doesn’t speak English very well and didn’t know how to use a computer very well either. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. Eventually, I am interested in going into academia to research how teachers can effectively implement technology into their classrooms. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming to work as an instructional designer or web developer in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest-performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit. I know based on my personal experience that having better educational programs and games available to teachers would make a huge difference to students like my own if only more digital resources were designed with them in mind by being more accessible, effective, and of course fun to use.

I am currently an ESL teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ESL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools I can provide them so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. This not only includes learning English as an entirely new language but also learning about cultural differences all while they are learning new materials in various subjects along with their peers. Due to the unique circumstances of the worldwide pandemic, many schools like my own were forced to embrace technology when we shut down our campuses in March 2020. During this time I realized there was a lack of digital resources available to support English language learners as their classrooms transitioned to virtual platforms. Many videos or programs that teachers wanted to use did not have accessibility options such as closed captions, simplified language, or text-to-speech. In short, the programs that were available at the time did not meet the needs of my English language learning students, or frankly many other students who may have a reading, learning, or intellectual disability. Simple small alterations to the user interface such as toggling the font size of a digital text could improve the overall user experience. Besides the lack of accessibility options, another tremendous challenge was the fact that many of our students had never had their own personal computer before and were seriously lacking basic technological literacy skills making it extremely difficult to explain algebraic equations to a middle school student who doesn’t speak English very well and didn’t know how to use a computer very well either. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. Eventually, I am interested in going into academia to research how teachers can effectively implement technology into their classrooms. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming to work as an instructional designer or web developer in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest-performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit.

I am currently an ESL teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ESL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools I can provide them so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. This not only includes learning English as an entirely new language but also learning about cultural differences all while they are learning new materials in various subjects along with their peers. Due to the unique circumstances of the worldwide pandemic, many schools like my own were forced to embrace technology when we shut down our campuses in March 2020. During this time I realized there was a lack of digital resources available to support English language learners as their classrooms transitioned to virtual platforms. Many videos or programs that teachers wanted to use did not have accessibility options such as closed captions, simplified language, or text-to-speech. In short, the programs that were available at the time did not meet the needs of my English language learning students, or frankly many other students who may have a reading, learning, or intellectual disability. Simple small alterations to the user interface such as toggling the font size of a digital text could improve the overall user experience. Besides the lack of accessibility options, another tremendous challenge was the fact that many of our students had never had their own personal computer before and were seriously lacking basic technological literacy skills making it extremely difficult to explain algebraic equations to a middle school student who doesn’t speak English very well and didn’t know how to use a computer very well either. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. Eventually, I am interested in going into academia to research how teachers can effectively implement technology into their classrooms. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming to work as an instructional designer or web developer in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest-performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit.

I am currently an ESL teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ESL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools I can provide them so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. This not only includes learning English as an entirely new language but also learning about cultural differences all while they are learning new materials in various subjects along with their peers. Due to the unique circumstances of the worldwide pandemic, many schools like my own were forced to embrace technology when we shut down our campuses in March 2020. During this time I realized there was a lack of digital resources available to support English language learners as their classrooms transitioned to virtual platforms. Many videos or programs that teachers wanted to use did not have accessibility options such as closed captions, simplified language, or text-to-speech. In short, the programs that were available at the time did not meet the needs of my English language learning students, or frankly many other students who may have a reading, learning, or intellectual disability. Simple small alterations to the user interface such as toggling the font size of a digital text could improve the overall user experience. Besides the lack of accessibility options, another tremendous challenge was the fact that many of our students had never had their own personal computer before and were seriously lacking basic technological literacy skills making it extremely difficult to explain algebraic equations to a middle school student who doesn’t speak English very well and didn’t know how to use a computer very well either. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. Eventually, I am interested in going into academia to research how teachers can effectively implement technology into their classrooms. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming to work as an instructional designer or web developer in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest-performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit. I know based on my personal experience that having better educational programs and games available to teachers would make a huge difference to students like my own if only more digital resources were designed with them in mind by being more accessible, effective, and of course fun to use.

I am currently an ESL teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ESL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools I can provide them so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. This not only includes learning English as an entirely new language but also learning about cultural differences all while they are learning new materials in various subjects along with their peers. Due to the unique circumstances of the worldwide pandemic, many schools like my own were forced to embrace technology when we shut down our campuses in March 2020. During this time I realized there was a lack of digital resources available to support English language learners as their classrooms transitioned to virtual platforms. Many videos or programs that teachers wanted to use did not have accessibility options such as closed captions, simplified language, or text-to-speech. In short, the programs that were available at the time did not meet the needs of my English language learning students, or frankly many other students who may have a reading, learning, or intellectual disability. Simple small alterations to the user interface such as toggling the font size of a digital text could improve the overall user experience. Besides the lack of accessibility options, another tremendous challenge was the fact that many of our students had never had their own personal computer before and were seriously lacking basic technological literacy skills making it extremely difficult to explain algebraic equations to a middle school student who doesn’t speak English very well and didn’t know how to use a computer very well either. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. Eventually, I am interested in going into academia to research how teachers can effectively implement technology into their classrooms. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming to work as an instructional designer or web developer in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest-performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit. I know based on my personal experience that having better educational programs and games available to teachers would make a huge difference to students like my own if only more digital resources were designed with them in mind by being more accessible, effective, and of course fun to use.

I am currently an ESL teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ESL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools I can provide them so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. This not only includes learning English as an entirely new language but also learning about cultural differences all while they are learning new materials in various subjects along with their peers. Due to the unique circumstances of the worldwide pandemic, many schools like my own were forced to embrace technology when we shut down our campuses in March 2020. During this time I realized there was a lack of digital resources available to support English language learners as their classrooms transitioned to virtual platforms. Many videos or programs that teachers wanted to use did not have accessibility options such as closed captions, simplified language, or text-to-speech. In short, the programs that were available at the time did not meet the needs of my English language learning students, or frankly many other students who may have a reading, learning, or intellectual disability. Simple small alterations to the user interface such as toggling the font size of a digital text could improve the overall user experience. Besides the lack of accessibility options, another tremendous challenge was the fact that many of our students had never had their own personal computer before and were seriously lacking basic technological literacy skills making it extremely difficult to explain algebraic equations to a middle school student who doesn’t speak English very well and didn’t know how to use a computer very well either. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. Eventually, I am interested in going into academia to research how teachers can effectively implement technology into their classrooms. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming to work as an instructional designer or web developer in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest-performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit. I know based on my personal experience that having better educational programs and games available to teachers would make a huge difference to students like my own if only more digital resources were designed with them in mind by being more accessible, effective, and of course fun to use.

My favorite artist and scientist cannot be narrowed down to one person, but rather a people: The Maya. The Maya were a pre-Colombian civilization that had important scientists and artists who combined their talents to create beautiful and mathematically perfect buildings such as the Temple of Kukulkan in Chichen Itza to study astronomy. The Temple of Kukulkan is a physical representation of the complex Mayan calendar by having a total of 365 steps distributed among the four staircases leading to the top of the once colorful building dedicated to their winged-serpent god. Unfortunately due to the brutality of the conquistadores, history has lost the names of the architects, astrologers, mathematicians, and artists that we would otherwise know today for their contributions to the knowledge and culture of the people who inhabited the Yucatan peninsula.

I am currently an ESL teacher who works with students who are learning English as a second (or sometimes third!) language. My students are recent immigrants who have a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. My main job as their ESL teacher is to facilitate their transition into the American school system and prepare them with as many tools I can provide them so that they can learn how to navigate future obstacles on their own without me. This not only includes learning English as an entirely new language, but also learning about cultural differences all while they are learning new materials in various subjects along with their peers. Due to the unique circumstances of the worldwide pandemic, many schools like my own were forced to embrace technology when we shut down our campuses in March 2020. During this time I realized there was a lack of digital resources available to support English language learners as their classrooms transitioned to virtual platforms. Many videos or programs that teachers wanted to use did not have accessibility options such as closed captions, simplified language, or text-to-speech. In short, the programs that were available at the time did not meet the needs of my English language learning students, or frankly many other students who may have a reading, learning, or intellectual disability. Simple small alterations to the user interface such as toggling the font size of a digital text could improve the overall user experience. Besides the lack of accessibility options, another tremendous challenge was the fact that many of our students had never had their own personal computer before and were seriously lacking basic technological literacy skills making it extremely difficult to explain algebraic equations to a middle school student who doesn’t speak English very well and didn’t know how to use a computer very well either. Right now I am working towards a degree in web and mobile app development to gain a better understanding of computer programming. Eventually, I am interested in going into academia to research how teachers can effectively implement technology into their classrooms. There are a lot of educational games and programs out there, but many do not use research-based practices or culturally competent curriculum. I want to learn how we can create and improve digital resources for teachers like myself to use in our classrooms. Resources that not only meet standardized curriculum goals, but are also easy to use for all students regardless of their computer literacy level. My long-term goal is to combine my background in education with my interests in computer programming to work as an instructional designer or web developer in order to help create and improve educational websites/mobile applications that include accessibility features so as to cater to the needs of as many students as possible. My teaching philosophy has always been to teach with the highest expectations to the lowest performing group because if you are able to make difficult material accessible to them, everyone else in the class will also benefit. I know based on my personal experience that having better educational programs and games available to teachers would make a huge difference to students like my own if only more digital resources were designed with them in mind by being more accessible, effective, and of course fun to use.