Blog #86 – BE THE VOICE OF THOSE THAT ARE OFTEN NOT HEARD
I have always admired individuals that are the voice of those that are often not heard. In my lifetime I have attempted to do the same. I feel that representing those individuals is something that I learned from a young age. I remember listening to my parents talking to other laborers about dreams that they had for their children. These were low-income individuals that had very little education. At age 6, I made the decision to dedicate my life to helping people like them and their children to make their dreams a reality. So, I decided to become a teacher.
Being a voice is not solely about words. It is also about actions. As a mathematics teacher and coach, I have worked at getting students to reach their fullest potential. To make this a reality, I have worked at developing better ways of teaching mathematics concepts. I have also worked at developing methods to solve problems faster. While teaching and coaching at McAllen High School, most of my students were from low income areas. I dedicated time and energy getting my students to maximize their abilities. As a result, many of my students received scholarships to prestigious universities. I used modeling to show my students how to do things. Members of my mathematics teams learned that they should demonstrate excellence through actions not words. I feel proud that most team members have worked at promoting education as a means to attain success in life.
Everyone that knows me knows that I take pride in placing myself in the shoes of those that I talk to. I treat everyone with respect. I accept the opinions of others. Many times I have encountered individuals that have ideas that they feel uncomfortable sharing. They feel that what they feel and think may not be important to their peers. Initially, I encourage them to speak out. I tell them that what they feel or think is important. They need to realize that we need to share knowledge and experiences with others. I have used my influence to share some of their ideas with my peers. I feel that each of us should take an active role in helping others by speaking on their behalf when they feel intimidated to speak. Whether it is speaking for children, friends, relatives or peers, all of us need to realize that doing it will make this a better world.