“As a teacher, community member and public role model, I strive to promote positive learning in the classroom, spark enthusiasm in students, and use current technology, building the foundations for lifelong learning.” Teaching my native language, Spanish, allows me to draw upon my own culture and personal experience as a foreign language learner. I am confident that I am able to teach my students to communicate effectively in Spanish, but more importantly, to gain an appreciation for another language and its culture. At the same time, I believe that technology is one of the most important tools today. I’ve learned to use audio and visuals in the classroom to address different learning styles, which is extremely helpful for visual learners. One of many strategies with the Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) model, is understanding the importance of tapping into student’s prior knowledge. I find that this increases class participation and enhances educational principles, and consequently, that my teaching is most effective when I understand what prior and current knowledge my students have. Moreover, the process of demonstrating an activity first for all to see, followed by students working together in groups, provides a sense of prior knowledge by the time students work individually. My lessons require critical thinking of discussion points which makes learning their own, and I believe my enthusiasm, coupled with my cultural knowledge and technological mastery approach to teaching, enables students to acquire language skills in a manner that keeps them interested and motivated. I aim to build lifelong learning skills in students to instill creativity, initiative and responsibility, thereby enabling them to adapt to a dynamic society by enhancing the skills they already possess. I enjoy getting to know their background, find ways to learn about their prior knowledge, and help them build upon it daily. In return, I share my struggles, accomplishments, goals, and dreams with them, as I believe my own experiences can inspire them as well.