My decision to become a teacher came from stepping out of my comfort zone and searching for opportunities that would eventually lead me to want to become a teacher. However, my background and personal experiences were a major driving factor that allowed me to empathize and relate to many students I have mentored; this allowed me to realize that teaching is my calling.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve experienced many hardships as a bilingual migrant student. As my family moved from place to place, it was never easy for me to move to a new school. It was difficult to excel in school when I felt out of place and like I was not at home. Additionally, I was in the midst of learning English as a second language and I constantly felt like an outsider. I felt like learning English would make me feel at home in such an English dominant environment. Mrs. Verburg was the teacher I remember connecting the most with because she was bilingual.
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I was getting hands on experience by mentoring at a local middle school, and when I graduated highschool, I mentored at my former high school. As a bilingual mentor, I’m able to help out with the bilingual classes. I empathize and identify myself with students who are learning English as a second language, or are migrant students who have had a difficult time adapting to new environments.
Once I began attending high school, I noticed it was fairly common for students to believe the myth that if their parents did not attend college, it was likely they wouldn't either. These students faced the struggle of being first generation and coming from low income households. I want to be a high school teacher to be an example of a first generation student that achieved higher