Within our classrooms, we should be giving space to students to drive their learning. The way we teach should be student centric. By doing this, students will be able to reflect on their own learning in a meaningful way because they are the ones doing the work as opposed to us deciding what and how the concept is taught.”
Diane’s Story
Teaching Discipline
Mathematics
Why Mathematics
“Coming from El Salvador at a young age, my family and I only spoke Spanish. I remember being so embarrassed at school because I needed to be pulled out of class to practice my English. I felt very incompetent because I was treated differently than my classmates. The only time I felt comfortable in class was when we were doing math. It was a subject in which I didn’t need a tutor. I could see the patterns and make sense of what my teachers were doing without speaking English. As I grew older, math class was always my safe space. It was the language I understood before I understood my classmates/teachers’ language. My identity as a student has always been grounded in my ability to problem solve and think through math problems.”
Professional Experience
Diane worked as a teacher’s assistant/math tutor for five years. This role helped her develop relationship building skills with children that she used during her first year of teaching.
Diane began teaching at Dr. Maya Angelou Community Senior High during the 2018–2019 school year.
Hobbies
Diane enjoys hiking, reading, and playing basketball.
Academic Background
- University of California, Los Angeles (Master of Education in Secondary Education)
- University of California, Riverside (Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics)