'The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.'
- B. B. King
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I am a fish out of water. Born and raised in the enchanted island, Puerto Rico, the most beautiful spot in the Caribbean (I am biased, of course), where I used to spend lots of time free diving and enjoying this adventure called life. I am a mom to 3 amazing human beings, a teacher "mom" to several students who I am fortunate to still have in my life, and a Gigi to Eli and Amaya, who have offered me a new understanding of what love is. My hobbies are enjoying music, dancing, singing, cooking, running, and being a handywoman and a DIY junky; yes, I will build and repair almost anything. I have a Masters in Education from Cambridge College and I've been an educator for over 22 years. In 2021 I wrote my first books, When I Was Invisible and Cuando yo era invisible, in which I share the moment my fifth grade teacher changed my life forever. ¡Gracias Maestra Melendez!
For the last 3 years, I have been able to coach Instructional Coaches, while collaborating with district and campus leaders, as well as teachers, to target specific needs and improve classroom instruction through effective, evidence-based best practices that when implemented with fidelity, lead to student improvement. I have also been able to provide relevant and needs-based professional learning to educators in all levels in the district and have had the opportunity to present at TexTesol and Learning Forward North Texas conferences. And to top it all, I am a proud Holdsworth alumni. Currently, I am working on developing awareness of the impact of culture in the classroom through Cultural Relevance professional development. This has led to essential discussions of the need to create a sense of belonging for our students and to nurture their inherent brilliance and potential by validating |
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their uniqueness and by leveraging their cultural capital. It is a passion of mine to drive this work in order to know our students at a deeper level, to build relationships, establish trust, and allow our students to feel connected to learning and to their teachers while affirming their identity. Through my Cultural Relevance Implementation, LLC, I am able to share this impactful work with other districts while continuing to design and refine a well structure model to effectively achieve implementation and transform our students education through cultural connections.
Recently, I joined the World Languages Department in Arlington ISD to promote biliteracy and bilingualism while honoring our students' cultures by becoming a Dual Language Immersion Instructional Specialist. I am excited at the opportunities available for students in this program and for my role in that effort.
Recently, I joined the World Languages Department in Arlington ISD to promote biliteracy and bilingualism while honoring our students' cultures by becoming a Dual Language Immersion Instructional Specialist. I am excited at the opportunities available for students in this program and for my role in that effort.
Career highlights
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