Zenaida Rosario
California Teacher of the Year
La Mirada Elementary, San Ysidro, CA
Grade 3, all subjects

My teaching philosophy
I am a teacher at heart and have always believed that all children can learn when they are in an environment where they know that they are valued as important. I believe that teaching needs to have its roots in the heart of an individual who really cares about children. Teaching is one of the most important professions in the world as teachers play a lifelasting role in shaping the minds of children. I believe that I am a teacher who learns everyday from my students and it is because of them that I strive to be the best teacher I can be. I believe that teaching doesn't end at the end of the day when the children leave for home, but that it sparks a new beginning for every child who learns in my classroom. Children look up to teachers and because of this we can not let them down. We must teach from the heart and help each child develop through the wealth of knowledge a teacher can offer them everyday in the classroom.

My philosophy in action
Everyday we have a morning "ritual" that is very special to all the children. I took this idea from a wonderful teacher who gave us a training years ago. It was the "connection" activity. The children choose how they want to connect with me on a daily basis. They choose a hug, high five, a smile, or just a simple hello. This connects us as the children know that with me it is like being at home and they can trust that I will respect them in every way. They know they can learn in a happy environment. My beliefs are very evident in my classroom. I believe in respect and my student know that I respect them and their thoughts. I treat them with respect and this helps their self-esteem. They know that I have high expectations of them and that their hard work is always rewarded in a positive manner. They feel that they have ownership of their classroom and this is evident in their environment as it always exhibits their beautiful work throughout the walls. It is a child-centered classroom, they love to learn in my classroom because they know that everyday I will work hard to make it a fun-filled learning day. When students express how much they love coming to school, I know that our classroom environment contributes to a learning experience they always want to be a part of and one they will never forget.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
My greatest teaching accomplishments come from my courage to overcome the many obstacles that I experienced throughout my life. As a child born into poverty and growing up in a large city where my language was not accepted in the public schools I attended, it was not easy making it through school. I never gave up making my dream come true making becoming a teacher one of my greatest achievements. I feel accomplished to be able to use my cultural background and my Spanish language to effectively teach and communicate with my students and their parents. I feel that I am an accomplished role model they can look up to. I am living proof that you can make your dreams come true in America through an education. I feel that throughout my teaching career I have taken advantage of the many educational opportunities I have learned from professionally and have implemented what I've learned in my classroom. I feel accomplished when I have kids come back year after year and share with me how much they loved learning in my class. It is wonderful when parents come back and thank me for teaching their children as they say they have taken with them the "gift" of wanting to be life-long learners. My most recent accomplishment has been that of training a student teacher who was a former student of mine 20 years ago. To hear her enthusiasm, to see her energy, to see her eyes light up when the kids come into class, I feel truly accomplished, because she tells me I was the "teacher" who inspired her! She said she would play that she was me, borrowing her moms high heels, and putting up her beautiful curly hair to look like mines...and now she is going to be a teacher. I am honored to have been part of that inspiration and because I believed in her, I know she will be an awesome teacher.

The most critical issue facing educators today
The critical issues educators face today are many but the most challenging will be to achieve the requirements of the NCLB with the huge educational cutbacks we are facing in our growing state of California. There are so many pressures to improve in state standardized tests and this becomes a challenge when educating second language learners. All children can learn but the resources need to be made available to all children equally and we know this is never something that is done fairly. Public schools continue to face cutbacks that affect schools where the children are faced with their own critical issues of surviving poverty. To be a high quality teacher and teach a high quality curriculum requires the use of many resources, including access to technology and this becomes a challenge when funds are continuously being taken from public education. All children learn differently and we need to teach children to be successful life long learners, so that they can take these skills to achieve careers that will allow them to live as accomplished individuals in our ever-changing world.

Ways to resolve this issue
Solutions to resolve critical issues that effect education are never easy, especially if they involve resources that cost a lot of money. But there are solutions that can be achieved if the right people are involved in major decisions that affect the education of children. Teachers are key players in solutions but are usually the last to be asked about changes that affect student learning. To resolve issues in education, teachers need to stay informed and become active participants in the actions that need to be taken in order for children to learn. Teachers need to make the best of what their districts have to offer and then look for more. We need to learn new research based strategies that really work with children and have a heart to believe that all children can learn, so that they truly can learn and overcome the many obstacles, laws, programs, lack of resources, that will make their learning experience a challenge, especially if they come from a low income environment. To not give up on kids, as an educator, is a great beginning in order to resolve the many issues we will face as educators and to involve the community especially the parents as active participants as teaching takes everyone to make it successful.

One thought to inspire other teachers to succeed
Teachers are like the rays of the sun, they have a special brilliance that children look up to. To be a teacher is to be an incredible role model, and to achieve the goals of teaching students to become excellent learners, we too must begin by becoming exceptional teachers. To walk into a classroom and work with children, makes everyday a day worth living. You know that each day when you walk into a classroom you will live very special magical day. As a teacher you can take with you the gratitude of each child through the smiles that will warm up even the coldest of days. Just as I tell my kids every day "Never, ever, ever give up" this too goes for a teacher, never ever give up learning because this will be the biggest contributor to your success as an accomplished teacher, and your greatest gift of all. Stay inspired and you will truly inspire children to care about learning.

One lesson every student should learn
One lesson every child should learn is that they are a key player in their success and that life will have many challenges, but an education still is the key to their success. That each child knows that they are important to this world and that they too will grow up some day and hopefully give back to this world in a positive way. They need to learn that school is a place where they will spend many of their years and that they can make their learning years positive by staying focused and seeking help from everyone around them, especially their parents and teachers.

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