Her Story
About Andrea
I figured out I wanted to be a teacher when I was in second grade, and it just kind of drove me in everything that I did. I went to a humanities magnet high school, learning about all these different cultures, art, religions, and science, which led me into really focusing on sociology and looking at big themes of injustice - racial, gender, and economic injustices. I wanted to figure out how we can teach that at a beginner level, how we can bring that down to elementary so that we can start getting rid of those biases earlier on. I got my Bachelor's in Sociology with a minor in Education at University of California, Santa Barbara to start blending the two. A couple years later, I got my Master's in Social Justice Education from Antioch University, Los Angeles, as well as my teaching credential. I've been working in schools in some capacity for the last 11 years, and I'm going into my fourth year as a lead teacher. My goal is to continue being a lead teacher while hopefully getting into either a DEIJ position, an admissions position, or some kind of admin role where I can help more with the inside system of the school and help out internally after working with all the kids and families.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Andrea
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think knowing that I'm doing work that's making a difference in kids' lives really drives me. Once I figured out I was going to be a teacher, I remember telling my 3rd grade teacher, I want to be a teacher, and she was just like, nope, you're not going to make a lot of money, don't even think about it. I had another teacher who was like, no, boys are usually better at math than girls are. So being that person that empowers my kids and makes them feel safe and comfortable and confident really helps drive me to do better as a teacher.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Every no is not just a rejection, but it's like a redirection. If I didn't get a job somewhere, that's okay. There's probably a better opportunity for me somewhere else, and just kind of being at peace and accepting what comes.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
When I was growing up, a lot of people told me not to become a teacher. They said it's gonna be a huge workload, it's gonna be a lot of stress, there's not a lot of pay, you know, there's always kind of things happening. I think just remembering why you're doing it is so important. For me, it was always wanting to help people and teach people to be kind and empathetic, and I feel like a lot of the world's problems can kind of be solved if people just are more accepting and more kind to one another. Another piece of advice is that every no is not just a rejection, but it's like a redirection. If you didn't get a job somewhere, that's okay. There's probably a better opportunity for you somewhere else, and just kind of being at peace and accepting what comes.
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