Alumni Spotlight: Amy Martinez Perez
UTEP Degree: Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in EC-6 Bilingual Education
Graduation Year: 2018
Current Title: Fifth Grade Dual Language Teacher at Don Haskins PK-8 School and El Paso Independent School District’s 2021-22 Elementary Teacher of the Year
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
When I was in first grade, I decided I would become a teacher. I wanted to make an impact the way the teachers in my life at that point had made in me. While I was only six at the time, I knew my options were endless. But as I continued with my academic journey, the decision to become a teacher was only further strengthened. I deeply admired the teachers that would get to know their students and made the class feel like a home away from home. I aspired to be the teacher who would share their time with their students and respect every student in their class. I aspired to ensure that every single student in my class knew they mattered while helping students find their passion for learning. I wanted to be a teacher who was understanding, adaptable, compassionate and resilient. I had seen the positive impact teachers made and how they were able to spark the love for learning in students, as the teachers in my life had done for me.
What's the most rewarding aspect of this profession?
The most rewarding aspect of being in education is being able to make a difference with the students. As a teacher, you get to share your knowledge and watch your students grow. You get to see your students become curious learners by asking questions and eventually guiding the students to become involved in their own learning and empowering them to take ownership of their learning. You have the ability to plant the seed and watch it grow throughout the students’ academic journeys. You get to make lifelong positive relationships with your students and guide them into becoming the best versions of themselves.
What have you learned from your students?
While there have been many lessons that I have learned from my students, the one that will always stick with me is that our students don’t need a perfect, textbook teacher. Just as every student brings their personality into the classroom, teachers can do so, too. I have come to learn that the students need an understanding, compassionate and personable teacher whom they can connect with. By being an understanding teacher, the students will know that it’s okay to make mistakes through the process of learning from them. By being a compassionate teacher, the students know the relationships you build as a class are genuine and will want to participate and have a greater presence in their learning. By being a personable teacher, you are able to better connect with the students through the lessons, which, in turn, allow for the opportunity to have powerful, impactful and fun lessons. My students have taught me that just as learning isn’t linear, teachers don’t have to be either; teachers can be innovative with their teaching.
What are challenges you've overcome in your career?
Upon becoming a teacher, the greatest challenge that I have overcome has been to remember to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. With the transition to virtual teaching, I got lost throughout the year, hyper-focusing on the smallest details which led to feeling overwhelmed. It felt as if I wasn’t teaching to my fullest potential. I had to take a step back and remind myself of how much fun it was to celebrate my students’ successes and growth; how we all could learn so much from trying new things and making mistakes along the way, always learning from where we went wrong and how we could better the situation or task at hand. I reminded myself that as a teacher, I didn’t need to be a playing block, consistently remaining the same figure. Rather, I needed to be Play-Doh, having the ability to consistently be remolded.
What is a key lesson you learned as a UTEP student that you still use in your career?
A key lesson I learned as a UTEP student was to be adaptable and creative. Throughout my time at UTEP I had the privilege of working on campus as a Peer Career Advisor with the University Career Center. During this time, I would present workshops to diverse groups of students, allowing me to adapt to what was needed from each group. Being a teacher means you need to be able to meet the needs of all your students. While you may have planned out everything down to the last dot, there may be parts of the day that will be unpredictable. As a student at UTEP, my professors taught me to be creative and think outside the box. This has become an incredibly useful skill in being able to come up with solutions to everyday problems, such as finding ways to connect with your students or incorporating creative lessons on the daily. By being adaptable and creative, you are able to renavigate the students onto the right course while not losing sight of the end goal.
What advice do you have for current UTEP students?
The advice that I have for current UTEP students is to try something new every week. While you won’t be successful every time, you will learn to learn from what worked and what didn’t. Remaining curious will allow you to maintain the love for what you do. You will be able to challenge yourself with new tasks to be able to achieve what you may have thought to be unachievable. By doing so, you are empowering yourself to become a lifelong learner.
What does it mean to you to be named EPISD's Elementary Teacher of the Year?
Being named as El Paso ISD’s Elementary Teacher of the Year has been a great honor. Having gone through my educational journey with El Paso ISD, I was able to meet incredible educators and continue to do so. Some of them are now mentors and friends. Every educator I interacted with has left a positive impact in my life. Now being on the other side of that role, no longer as a student but as a teacher, I have been able to give back to the community. While I have had the privilege to be inspired by amazing educators in the district during my time as a student, I am now able to inspire the students of the district. I think back to when I was six years old and had decided to be a teacher. I think of how proud that 6-year-old would be of me now. I hope to one day see one (or many) of my students – who have the same dream as I did at six years old – have the privilege to be El Paso ISD’s Teacher of the Year.