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My experiences as a Mexican student within a predominantly white K-8 school were incredibly indicative of the way my life would take shape growing up. For several years I was the only student of color in my grade, meaning it was difficult to develop closer bonds with any of my peers. Though I am grateful that I never felt threatened or harmed by the students or staff, there was still this feeling of disconnect between everyone else and I that lingered during my time there. Later on in my life, once I had truly found comfort with the places and people I was with, I began to reflect on ourselves as people. One of the biggest drivers for humanity is that we’re always constantly changing. When I made the transition from the K-8 school to High School, I gained the opportunity to change and grow as the person I wanted to be. I was afforded the opportunity to become the person I wanted to be, and it was thanks to the people and experiences I lived through that helped to define my ideals. My personal belief is that I wish to support my students to become the version of themselves that they truly love and admire. That they can be free and safe within my classroom so they can express themselves in ways that matter to them.

As an aspiring educator, one of the most influential bits of education history that struck me was what Jerome Bruner claimed about education, which was, “Any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development.” The reason I found this so appealing was because it verbalized the belief I had that because of our capacity for change, we’re all gifted with the ability to grow, just as long as we’re handed the proper tools and shown how to use them correctly. In a classroom setting I wish to set out to pinpoint the hardships and circumstances my students face, and provide them with not just the proper support, but with advice that they can carry with them as they move forward from one part of life to another. Of course, forming these connections in the first place is an essential aspect to ensuring they retain anything. Which I plan to do by promoting the mentality that all students, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender identity and/or expression, socio-economic status, etc. are safe and respected within my classroom, and that they should be free to let express themselves, even if they’re wrong, especially because if they are then that only serves for an opportunity for them to continue to change as they mature.

Looking forward, as I continue my journey as an educator, I will be conscious about the effort and choices I make within my classrooms. Being able to put my words into practice would be a wonderful achievement as I would want all of my students to always remember that the generosity in this world can be found in all places, including themselves. In order to do so I have to be the first person who lays down the foundation for them, otherwise it may be difficult for them to ever find that kind of resolve in their future. Of course, once they do find that conviction it’s just as important for me to continue to foster that idea in them. As it should always be our goal and drive to ensure the best suitable life for our students.

There are a lot of days where I spend asking myself if I’m moving in the right direction. Sometimes it’ll be about what I’m doing in one given day, perhaps I haven’t been productive enough, and other times I question what it really means to be alive. Over the past few years I’ve found myself developing a better idea of what my answer is. The best response I can give is this, regardless of what stage of life I’m in, I have to keep moving forward with the best possible work I can accomplish every single day, that helps me come closer to projecting my beliefs and dreams into this world. As of late, this answer has given me the most motivation to strive for my goals, and even answer some of life’s other questions. 

One such question is, is Music Education truly the right choice for me? To simply put it, yes it absolutely does and I’ll elaborate as to why this is the case. I have for the longest time felt a burning desire to change the world around me in the most meaningful way possible, in a way that only I know. Except, for the longest time I questioned how I could even possibly do this with music, I always figured I’d end up going into a STEM field, such as engineering which I once had a intrigue for. It wasn’t until a few years ago that my life was suddenly impacted in such a deeply rooted and profound way by music that I found out my answer. With this revelation I found out that by creating and sharing music, I have the capacity to touch the lives of so many people on this planet. Think back to moments in your life where a piece of music became the catalyst for something much greater. Perhaps it was a song that reminds you of your parents or a close friend, or a song you heard during a summer that you will never forget, or maybe even it gave you the motivation to finally get out of a slump and persist to greater heights. One way or another we’ve all been greatly impacted by music and it was this realization that brought me to one of my first conclusions. That I will change this world with music. With this revelation at hand, I later began to ask myself, how else can I impact the communities I live in with music, and I’ll admit I was initially hesitant on education because I rarely ever seek out roles of leadership. I’ll admit it terrifies me to think of myself in charge, but over the past several months I’ve seen myself shift from this mindset to a new one altogether. One that motivates me to try and aim even higher than where I already am. I know this is my calling because in truth, music education is exactly what my dream is about. Our very existence is change, even the most miniscule ways of interacting with the world or with each other is extraordinary, because without our existence, those impacts wouldn’t be there. I know that this is my calling because it does exactly what I wish to do in this world.

I come primarily from a place of great pride for my culture, background, and family. I do truly believe this is a strength, as I can better understand and empathize with the hardships that others endure. As a child, oftentimes all we need to be able to grow is a healthy support system. In order to be one, we as adults have to be ready to be flexible and especially willing to learn about our student’s lives. It is true that many will unfortunately come from difficult circumstances that will require us to be on our best to support them. As someone who is a support pillar for many of my friends, it has helped me develop a better sense of creating solutions and helping problems relieve themselves. Though of course, many children aren’t facing the same issues that adults are, these friendships can still help us mend the weaknesses we may have. Then there is also my background to take into account. As a POC I have a great capability to grasp problems that other POC endure. Whether it’s something such as biases, stereotypes, or microaggressions, I can instantly identify these issues because they’re what I’ve had to deal with growing up too. Not to mention the fact that just being a POC can help lift up students from any minority as it is a vital connection point for many. With all of these strengths, I have of course recognized weakness from myself, some for example are simple issues I need to work on a bit such as my communication skills, but out of everything, I believe I need to see myself as a leader rather than just a worker. If I truly wish to commit myself to this calling, I need to see myself choosing to act because I can, rather than only because the situation demands it. I have to rise up on my own to become a better worker, student, and educator for my future students.