Maria Munoz

I attribute my success to being resilient and very determined. When I set my mind to something, I just don't stop until I get it done. I also have this ongoing nature where I never stop - I'm the kind of person that likes to go all day and keep busy. It's hard for me to relax or take naps because I'm always moving and trying to get a lot of things done. I think being resilient has been key, especially because I've been here on my own since I was young with all my family in Mexico. Sometimes I look back and don't even know how I managed to finish college and start university at the same time while working full-time and being a mother and wife. But when I see my transcripts, I realize yes, I did it. When things get hard, I just keep going and trying until I get them done. I don't give up.

The best career advice I've received from some of the teachers I admire is to just do what you have a passion for. That way, you don't get burned out, and even when the work is hard, you're still enjoying it. This is what I've been doing in teaching - some days are hard, but then I see the faces and smiles of the children who are happy to see me and happy to work with me, and I care for them so much that I forget about everything else. Even during the hardest times in my life, like when I was getting divorced and starting a new job, I would leave everything behind when I got to school. I'd tell myself, okay, I'm gonna be ready for work, and after work I can pick everything back up. But during the day, I'm a teacher and I have to forget about these things. I was busy with the children, having fun with them, and we were learning a lot together.

One of the biggest challenges I face is working with children who need special support, like those on the spectrum, without having adequate supervision or assistance in the classroom. I had a student who was on the spectrum and loved to jump from tables and would sometimes run out of the classroom. With a big class, it's hard to focus on keeping one child safe while also being responsible for all the other children. I believe in inclusive classrooms because children on the spectrum need to learn from their peers, and other children need to learn patience and how to work with children with disabilities. It's very important for both, but it's also important for these children to have someone there watching them from a corner to keep them safe. As for opportunities, I would love to become a coach for middle school children. I believe we don't have enough support for that age group, especially children from other countries who are learning a new language and might feel discouraged about finishing school. A lot of children from immigrant families leave school early to start working. I want to go talk to them and motivate them because if they see someone who came from another country and was able to go to school and make it happen, they might think it can work for them too. I want to inspire them to keep going to school and getting educated.

The values most important to me are being true to myself, being honest, and having passion for what I love. I have passion for working with children, and even in my free time when parents ask me to babysit, I don't just babysit - I like to do things with the kids like coloring, making jewelry, going to the movies, or taking them to do sports like golfing or bowling. I like to keep them entertained beyond just TV. I want them to explore nature, go fishing, and try new things. I always ask them what they're interested in and we plan ahead together. If they want to do jewelry, I bring the materials. If it's coloring, I come prepared. I love to follow their interests, and if they want to learn something, I go along with them like I'm a little kid learning from them too. I also value caring for others and helping them in any way I can.