Teaching

My Teaching Philosophy

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 single student in all three of my classes and advisory.

I pride myself on helping students open up, academically and emotionally. I’ve worked closely with scholars who went from barely participating to leading discussions by the end of the summer. In my elective class, I used multimedia art, a lifelong creative passion of mine, as a means to help students express their creativity, explore their identity, and become capable with digital and technical tools that will serve them in other contexts.

Over time, I’ve grown more flexible and self-aware as a teacher. I’ve learned that even when lessons don’t 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, 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—qualities that have transferred to my role as a teacher and leader. I love to help students learn from and with one another, fostering a collaborative atmosphere in my classroom.

I believe deeply 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’m especially mindful of identity, inclusion, and representation, and I strive to ensure every scholar feels seen, respected, and valued. As a teacher, I know that each day in the classroom matters and is a chance to create a positive ripple effect in students’ lives and in our society.