My Approach to Teaching
I bring energy, structure, and creativity into every classroom. My approach to teaching focuses on building real relationships with students and encouraging them to use art to explore who they are. I meet students where they are and support their academic, emotional, and artistic growth, whether I’m leading digital media projects or creating personalized handshakes for each student.
Building Trust and Relationships
My teaching style is warm, energetic, and structured. At Breakthrough Miami, I focus on building strong relationships with scholars while holding high expectations. I bring humor, creativity, and positivity into the classroom to create an engaging and supportive environment. One of my favorite traditions was creating a personalized handshake with every student in all three of my classes and advisory.
Creative Expression Through Art
I pride myself on helping students open up academically and emotionally. I have worked closely with scholars who moved from barely participating to leading discussions by the end of the summer. In my elective class at Breakthrough Miami, I used multimedia art, a lifelong passion of mine, to help students express their creativity, explore their identity, and become capable with digital and technical tools they can use in school projects, future creative work, or everyday problem solving.
Growth Through Feedback
Over time, I have grown more flexible and self-aware as a teacher. I have learned that even when lessons do not go as planned, what matters most is my presence and how I respond. I actively reflect on my practice and take feedback seriously. At Breakthrough Miami, I applied feedback from instructional coaches and co-teachers each week to improve my teaching. My background as a student-athlete in tennis and swim has helped me become coachable, persistent, and hard-working. These qualities have transferred to my role as a teacher and leader.
Equity in Education
I believe in the right of every child to access an education that teaches them about who they are and how they can build a meaningful life. I am mindful of identity, inclusion, and representation, and I work to ensure every scholar feels seen, respected, and valued. As a teacher, I treat each day in the classroom as a chance to create a positive effect in students’ lives and in our society.
DESIGNING for IMPACT
Stella hopes to use SRN Designs to raise awareness about mental health and social issues in Miami and beyond. Future projects aim to merge art with advocacy and inspire change through visual storytelling.