1. Where are you from?
I was born and raised in San Jose, California. It’s hard to leave California
because we have the best weather!
2. How long have you been with ADNPP?
I have been teaching at El Quito for five years.
3. What is your teaching background and experience?
Since a young age, I have always wanted to be a teacher. When I was 20 years
old, I decided to go back to school to pursue teaching as a profession.
Previous to joining this company, I was a Science teacher to 3rd, 4th, and
5th graders, a Girl Scouts youth counselor, and lastly, I ran and
implemented after school programs for children who stayed at local shelters
around San Jose. Overall, I enjoy working with youth in any aspect.
4. What do you like most about your job?
What I like most about my job is having such great relationships with my
co-workers and colleagues. We laugh a lot, we love to play jokes, and they
always help me out in my time of need. Whether it’s getting personal advice,
letting me vent out my frustrations, or just chatting about the latest
Hollywood gossip, they’re there for me. We’re a cool group of people.
5. What do you think is special about your ADNPP
location?
We are located in a nice quiet neighborhood, alongside a huge park. There
are lots of families that live near our school and their children grow up
here. We tend to see many siblings go through our school from infancy all
the way to Kindergarten and we watch them grow every single day.
6. What is the last book you read out loud?
Snappy Little Halloween by Mary Cobb was the last book I read today. It’s a
fun pop-up book that shows all sorts of spooky things like skeletons,
witches, and mummies. It’s to get them into the Halloween spirit!
7. What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time I like to have a rip roaring good time with my friends!
8. What achievement are you most proud of?
Two years ago I ran a half marathon (13.1 miles) for the Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society. I participated in an event called the Nike Women’s
Marathon in San Francisco and helped raise money to find a cure for this
terrible disease. This cause is very dear to my heart because one of my
cousins passed away from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma many years ago. Being able
to raise money, get people involved in the cause, and surviving the
treacherous hills of San Francisco is a huge accomplishment that I am very
proud of.
9. What should children look forward to doing/learning in pre-kindergarten?
By the end of the school year, many students will have learned how to write
their names, properly use scissors, recognize numbers, letters, shapes, and
colors. Their learning process may vary from doing worksheets, painting,
using play-dough, dressing up, or just socializing with their peers.
Throughout the year I am building a positive foundation for exploring,
creating, and mastering skills that will benefit them in Kindergarten and
for many years to come.
10. What is the single best piece of advice you can give parents of pre-kindergarteners?
My best advice for parents would be to work with your children at home on
things that they are learning in school. Ask them questions about the letter
or theme of the week and just engage in dialogue with them. That extra
reinforcement really boosts their confidence in class.
11. Do you have any healthy lunch ideas?
I always think that it’s important to include a few nutritional snacks such
as, fruits, yogurts, cheese, or veggies, in addition to their entrée for
lunch. A small dessert is alright, but not a lunchbox full of unhealthy
snacks.
12. Do you have any learning the alphabet tips?
Read out loud and read often is my best tip for parents. Surround your
children with books from a young age, let them get a library card, and
rather than purchase a bunch of toys, let them purchase a bunch of books
from a book order form. Once your house becomes too full with books, donate
them to a local children’s shelter so that other children can enjoy the joys
of reading.
