Her Story
About Ernestina
I've been a high school teacher for 8 years, and I'm passionate about making a real difference in education. I recently completed my Master's in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and I'm resuming teaching on the 1st of June. But my vision extends beyond the classroom. I'm working on becoming a policy actor, developing a proposal to the Ministry of Education to reform policies around inclusive education for neurodivergent learners. I believe we need to stop labeling and isolating these students. Their brains just decode information differently, and when you look at it that way, you realize they're not slow learners at all. They often excel in areas we don't traditionally measure. For me, teaching is not just about teaching the letters, it's about touching lives and inspiring minds. You can only do that when you're doing what you love. At my school, I also serve as a sports organizer, organizing all the sport codes and coaching netball teams. I enjoy reading books in my free time. Everything I do is guided by my motto: there are a lot of good people in the world, and if you can't find one, be one.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ernestina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I have a very guiding motto that drives everything I do: there are a lot of good people in the world, and if you can't find one, be one. This means that you don't have to look for good people elsewhere. You must start being the good person, and then the goodness will flow. So whatever I do, I always reflect on that. I believe that when you start with being good yourself, that goodness spreads and creates the impact you want to see in the world.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
First, find your purpose in life. When you find your purpose in life, you will be able to perform very well. But if you feel like teaching is not your passion, then don't go for it. It's going to frustrate you, and you're just going to get high blood pressure. Teaching is not an easy thing. It requires somebody with a passion for it, so that you can be able to use all the resources that are at your disposal to help out the students. The other thing is that teaching is not just about teaching the letters, but it's also about touching lives and inspiring minds. And you can only do that when you are doing what you love.
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