To be a dynamic multilingual educator, I value getting to know your students and their backgrounds, building a positive learning environment, and establishing a relationship with families. As a multilingual educator, I strive to utilize my diverse linguistic repertoire to show my students the value of knowing more than one language. I aim to establish an equitable education system; providing students with the tools necessary to succeed is essential. I believe I can make a difference by highlighting multilingual students’ capabilities and cultivating their academic success. A linguistic barrier should not be the determining factor of how intelligent a student is. Bilingualism is a phenomenal skill to achieve, and rather than diminishing a student's ability to succeed, I intend to help students understand that their diverse linguistic repertoire is an asset, not a deficiency. My drive for teaching began through volunteering as a Sunday School teacher. By the time I reached my junior year of high school, I had already worked with all the grade levels offered in Sunday School. With the students I encounter, I strive to lay the foundation for becoming an adequate citizen, one with problem-solving, communication, and social-emotional skills for the betterment of society. As a Writing Instructor for NJLEEP, I’ve obtained a new perspective on the education world. Lesson plans should be flexible and not require precise execution; revisiting or extending activities is fine, so long as the student’s best interests are considered. For instance, incorporating culturally responsive teaching and cultural relevance is essential to making the curriculum more relatable for students. A direct reflection of students’ backgrounds aims to create a more equitable environment in which all students feel represented in the classroom. Critical thinking is achieved through assignments that trigger their analytical skills, such as addressing current events that directly impact our communities. When a student becomes curious about the what-ifs of the world, a teacher must hone in on that curiosity. Teacher expectations are imperative to a student’s success. When a student feels supported, their self-esteem is boosted, allowing them to adopt a mindset of someone capable of succeeding. It is imperative to embrace the backgrounds of multilingual learners and their families. Creating opportunities for parental involvement in the classroom and showcasing students’ cultural heritage. For instance, during my time as a Pre-K 3 Teacher Assistant, families were given a collaborative project in the first week of school. Families and students were encouraged to provide family pictures, images highlighting traditional cuisine, and other forms of representing who they are. Whenever students felt down, I would always refer them to their project on our gallery wall. The sense of belonging and knowing their presence is appreciated makes a world of difference. Moreover, I plan to evolve in various ways while simultaneously prioritizing the main reason I am an educator: for the future generations of tomorrow. As a former ESL student, I understand the difficulty of becoming accustomed to “general education” and the hardships of being from a household that doesn’t speak the United States’ official language, English. Against all odds, years later, I am now a trilingual speaker: English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Educators must make a genuine effort to learn about their students’ backgrounds, tailoring classroom materials to embrace our differences, building confidence, and emphasizing high expectations. As I gain more experience in and out of the classroom, I will further develop my teaching style but ultimately strive to stay true to my values, embracing diversity and cultivating a haven for my diverse students.

Newark, NJ the largest city in the state of New Jersey, yet one of the most low-income communities across the charts. Our most notable treasure is Prudential Center, a venue that attracts NY tourists, concerts, and celebrity galas. Yet, right around the corner, several homeless residents live at Newark Penn Station. Consistently begging at the mercy of these newcomers into our communities, some show compassion and others harshly stare them down. I belong to the parish of St. Francis Xavier, the church that established my compassionate side and upholding morals of loving my neighbors. My Sunday school teachers would welcome students to volunteer and donate to the less fortunate, and my mother would be the first to allocate the time to have me participate. Whether it meant being in charge of promoting the donation fairs or organizing events I was heavily involved behind the scenes. Whenever I embarked on my sophomore year of high school, I knew my calling was to become a Sunday School teacher. I wanted to transcend my faith into sculpting the future generations of Catholics. I was assigned the first communion class, working as a teacher assistant, and it was a transformative experience. After the first class, I discovered this was not something I specifically wanted to do as volunteer work, but rather for the remainder of my life. To pursue early childhood education had become my newest aspiration, I enjoyed sharing smiles with my students and deepening their understanding of God. The next year I was assigned to the confirmation class, which was a drastic change in comparison to the little ones. I served as a mentor for this class since we were roughly the same age, but I was experienced with knowledge of the SAT, ACT, and college readiness resources. I had always ensured to inform my students of any relevant career preparation workshops or organizations that distinctly worked with low-income students. I had unknowingly worked towards lessening the educational gap by providing residents of Newark with information for their academic benefit. Serving as a Spanish Sunday School teacher solidified the type of person I was, a community helper, a student, a mentor, and continuous learner. Despite my title as a teacher, I learned a lot through class discussions with my students and different interpretations of the bible. Getting the youth interested in learning about God was the mission, and it is something I was able to execute with this cohort of high schoolers. Soon I became a familiar face at the church, serving as a teacher and a choir singer. Being in the house of the Lord was my safe haven, shielding my negative thoughts of doubt in what was next to come. I consistently was worried about the what if’s of tomorrow, yet, in the presence of the Lord I was able to calm my nerves. I knew it was imperative to leave it all in the hands of God. I would share the inner battles I had with the high school cohort I had, and establish a bonding experience, several people felt similar to me. Serving the community was more than another volunteer experience, it was a chance to meet new people and perspectives. To help the future generations gain a voice and be confident in the beliefs they have. In a world full of so much hate, there is also love that radiates within my church, which was the message I always delivered. My goal was to become a safe and trusted person to those who felt lost, a mission I continue to carry into adulthood.

In the eyes of my Hispanic family, I am a failure. If your career path does not align with becoming a doctor or lawyer, in the eyes of older Hispanic relatives higher education is a waste of time. During high school, I had been set on becoming an immigration attorney and I was the pride of joy of the Rosero family. I crumbled at the high expectations my family set on me and the day I decided to pursue the career that genuinely made me happy, is the day I became a failure. Typically, one can expect family to always have your back despite any obstacle, yet despite my 4.0 GPA as a junior in college it is insufficient for greatness. As a first-generation college student and the oldest of my cousins, the pressure for me to strive for perfection is immense. I faced harsh judgment from my mother which led to the destruction of our once solid relationship. My mother has always been my support system and to not be on speaking terms with her truly broke my heart and spirit. Although we had basic interactions, to this day our relationship has never been able to reconcile. This experience made me second guess whether becoming an educator is something I wanted. Deep within my heart I knew becoming a Bilingual teacher was my true calling. Even though I wasn’t becoming the doctor or lawyer my family dreamt of, I still know my role in society is essential. Providing education to bilingual students is the form in which I give back to my community. Helping the Latino community through education is one of the greatest gifts I can provide since the connection between my students and I are unmatched. I speak from personal experience because as a Teacher Assistant, I see this heartwarming sense of connection with children as young as three years old. My presence brings comfort for Spanish speakers because knowing someone in an unfamiliar setting can also speak your language gives you comfort. I was once a child entering the school system with a low proficiency in English and I was privileged enough to have bilingual educators in my upbringing. Despite the condescending comments my family makes to me I will continue my path to becoming a bilingual educator. Never did I think the hardest obstacle I would face in life would be the disapproval and lack of support from my family. I have now matured in the sense of no longer pleasing others, and prioritizing my aspirations. I will no longer live out their dream but my own.

Olivia Rodrigo has been an iconic individual throughout her upbringing, that young girl I watched on screen in the American Girl movie now turned into a public figure. Her albums portray a clear depiction of girlhood, for instance, heartbreak resonated within the SOUR album. However, within her most recent album, "GUTS", my ultimate essence of adolescence is expressed although out, "Pretty isn't pretty". If I was able, to sum up my teenage experience in lyrics it would be "You fix thе things you hated and you'd still feel so insecure". Overall, the principle that is being highlighted is the reality of being a girl. Insecurities vary from person to person, but women are held to such high standards of perfection, that it is nearly impossible not to feel insecure during adolescence. Even with attempts at covering our imperfections, we are still unsatisfied. Unsatisfied with our appearances, abilities, or intellect, simply because we do not feel enough. In the case of beauty, with the application of makeup, we can superficially cover our insecurities, but the root cause remains an open wound. Within our current generation, social media is complacent in feeding into our insecurities. The pressure on young girls to display themselves as grown has been an ongoing issue amongst all eras in time. The visuals seen on our phones are susceptible to altering our perspectives of what true beauty can be deemed as. With technological advancements, there is now Photoshop and it is what young minds fail to look past. When I was a teenager the Instagram posts I would see were what I believed was true, I was naive to the fact that those pictures I saw were edited. This manifested in the beginning of my battle against body dysmorphia because I was frequently examining myself in the mirror. No matter what I did I was never satisfied with my appearance. The sense of insecurity will never leave unless a growth mindset is obtained. Coming to terms with self-acceptance and appreciation was ultimately my savior. Referring back to the theme of insecurities, cosmetic surgery is one of the greatest blessings and curses of our generation. Fixing insecurities with surgery can produce temporary satisfaction, but over time it can ultimately backfire. One can begin to pick at each imperfection and unknowingly depend on a result through cosmetic surgery. There were times in which I would sob staring at my reflection in the mirror just asking myself, "Why am I not enough?". Despite all the makeup I would wear, once it was time to remove it, my acne would present itself. Acne is a common occurrence, especially throughout adolescence, and it exhausting going through that period. The youth deserves to experience enjoyable moments and look beyond insecurities, but unfortunately, that pain is inevitable for some.

The education system is currently facing a crisis, with an overwhelming amount of educators leaving the field. Therefore, it is imperative for those studying to become an educator to always be reminded of why they have chosen this career path. I am working towards becoming an ESL educator and my job is to inspire my students to overcome the language barrier. Encouraging them to work hard in learning the English language to obtain an equitable education. I would encourage my students to follow their aspirations and not let others affect their lives. My students will always be encouraged to perform and excel at every task they complete, despite how big or small it may be. Setting high expectations will increase their academic abilities and will enlighten their spirits. Curiosity will always be encouraged because I want my students to ask the question, "Why?". Understanding why certain things happen will strengthen their problem-solving abilities, and provide support to eventually solving complex issues in their future lives. I want to inspire my students to have the traits; of compassion, kindness, critical thinking, creativity, and confidence. Since I will specialize in ESL students I will always encourage confidence in my classroom. Providing my students with an inclusive classroom setting they will feel at home. Incorporating my student's diverse cultures and languages will only increase my sense of welcome for my students. The youth who will step foot in my classroom will know that having compassion for others is an essential skill to have. Caring for others and creating bonds with classmates will improve the education experience for my students. I will always tell my students that education is essential to success because knowledge is an ability that can never be taken away from you. I will motivate my students to strive for greatness and to always help others.