Luis Quintero will be earning a Mutiple Subject Teaching Credential and M.Ed. from the Teacher Education Program. He says, "This photo represents my personality because I love to travel the world and am passionate about experiencing new cultures. I have an open mind to diversity and like making friends around the world."
GGSE: What did you like most learning about? What topics did you find particularly intriguing?
Quintero: The area that I like learning most about was classroom management and learning how to modify/adjust the lessons to support the needs of all students. I loved learning how I can be proactive to create a supportive, safe, and friendly learning environment for my students where they will excel in their educational careers. I also enjoyed learning various strategies in how I can make the subject content attainable for all my students and creating multiple avenues for my students to reach the material in order to support their educational needs.
GGSE: What did you learn about yourself this year that surprised you? About your students? About the field of education?
Quintero: The thing that I learned this year about myself that surprised me was how fast I was able to build strong relationships with my students and have a good rapport with my entire class. The year seems that it went by smoothly (behavior management wise) because I had such a strong relationship with my students, and we knew each other very well that it reflected when I would teach. I was also surprised by how much the students are expected to learn and perform in the classroom. It is definitely different from my experience in primary school. Lastly, I was surprised by the amount of work teachers put in the student's education. The teachers are not just teaching the standard subjects, but they are also teaching the students on being good members of society all at the same time while adding social-emotional learning programs in their daily routines to mold students into scholars and prepare them to inherit the diverse world that we live in.
GGSE: If you could give one piece of information that you wished every person on the planet knew about teaching or about children in schools, what would it be?
Quintero: Teaching is not a 9-5 job, and it is not only on the teacher who is solely responsible for the students' education. Teachers are supported by certified tutors, aids, school counselors, volunteers, and parents who all work as a unit keeping the students’ educational best interest in mind when supporting them.
GGSE: What are your plans upon graduating?
Quintero: After graduating from the UCSB Teacher Education Program, I will be preparing myself and my classroom for the upcoming academic school year, where I will be teaching a 5th-grade class at Canalino Elementary in Carpinteria.
GGSE: Is there anyone in the Gevirtz School you would like to thank?
Quintero: I want to thank all the UCSB TEP professors who have helped me along this journey and have taught me more than I could have imagined about education, teaching, and learning. I would also like to give a big thank you to Eva Oxelson for being a guide and mentor along my journey in the Teacher Education Program. Eva has helped me grow as a student and as an educator that I feel I am well equipped to take on my new classroom and be an excellent teacher for my students.