Bernarda Diaz Salgado 10/24/17 Roster: #5

Philosophical Portrait of Myself

“I wish you the best because middle schoolers are not the easiest to handle.” Let

me elaborate more on who I am as a student first and my backstory. My name is Bernarda

Diaz Salgado, a sixteen-year-old working my way up to become a middle school math

teacher. Many people tell me to reconsider my career, but I have been sure of becoming a

teacher since my third-grade year. It’s such a cliché but she really inspired me, before her

I was feeling like an outcast because I was darker than everyone else. A little Mexican

girl making her way through the white Americans. However, I might have looked

different from everyone else, but many people still wanted to be friends with me. My

teacher was the most kind and lovable person you could ever meet, she always greeted

her students with a big bright smile. Her black curls and pale skin somehow made the

perfect combination.

She made an impact, and I want to grow up and become the teacher I dream to be

and I want to thank her. If I went back in time and told myself that I’d be in college by

the age of sixteen, I would’ve been dying of laughter. Why? Being a kid, you don’t think

much of how your future will be. You say a statement about your future life but never

think about how you will get there.

After middle school, I felt like giving up due to my depression. It is a part of me, I

was silent about it. I never wanted anyone to worry about me and my situation. I am a

child from divorced parents and all the problems started piling up on my shoulders. After

the divorce, I understood more how immigrants had more of a hard time in life. Feeling

like I had no point to even try to have a bright future. Questioning life was my daily
Bernarda Diaz Salgado 10/24/17 Roster: #5

activity. The divorce caused us to head a different way. Here, we all came here to start a

new “life.” I was the new kid, sitting far from everyone, isolating myself. Growing up I

began to become more depressed because everything was just causing me too much

stress. It all lead to where I am now. A student at CSN and a DACA recipient, and I

realize that life has its way to opening up. I am thankful for the people that helped me be

here. Life has its ways and it all really works out in the end.

In the beginning of the course, I was petrified. I began thinking negatively about

how I was going to do in the class. I was a nervous train wreck. I still am a nervous train

wreck because I have no social skills whatsoever. As I grow older, I will begin to feel

more comfortable and gain the skills. Everyone in my class seems nice and I see

everyone being a good teacher. However, not everyone is the same and some may

struggle more than others. At the end, we will all make it to our dreams. I have been

doing my service-learning volunteerism at Three Square Food Bank. It is so common to

go there but helping makes me feel needed. I also am a part of East Las Vegas

Community Center Batteries Included Youth Council. Three Square is a great way to

meet caring people and friends, the organization has brought me joy because I know that

I am actually doing something with my life. I know that I am helping someone out there

and making a tiny impact. As for the Youth Council, we did a project a while ago which

involved us making care packages for kids in chemotherapy. We took our time and

poured our hearts into making them. We all hoped to see their expressions, unfortunately

couldn’t. These experiences are making me realize life is not as disappointing as I

thought it used to be.

Bernarda Diaz Salgado 10/24/17 Roster: #5

My field observation experience is also affecting me so positively. The students

are so great to work with. Since I am just a few years older than them, they talk to me like

a friend, but they are professional. They all seemed so interested in me being young in

college. The amount of respect I received lightens me up. Some of them seem lost and

when the teacher helps them out, they are so thankful. When I become a teacher, I hope I

see what I see now. I hope to make someone’s life easier with math because I understand

how hard it can be. This experience is making me realize why I made the choice I made.

Growing up I always thought about being the coolest math teacher. I still believe I could

be a radical teacher. I am friendly and king when people are friendly and kind to me as

well. Being a teacher, I do know I will have to deal with students in their “rebelling to

their parents” phase. I honestly never went through that phase but thankfully my friends

did, and I knew how to handle them.

In five years, I hope to see myself working hard for my master’s degree in

mathematics. Knowing I’ll be done with my degree in Secondary Education, I hope to

start being interviewed to fulfill my teaching career. Jumping with joy knowing I’ll get

accepted to teach at a middle school. I may not relate my middle school self with them. I

will be that teacher that says, “back in my day.” I feel like my teaching style would be

essentialist. Essentialism focus on core curriculum but I also want the students to learn as

much as they can with also some real-life experience. For example, like I am right now

with the field observation experience. Two teaching styles I’d consider are essentialism

and progressivism. My learning style is more of a visual and kinesthetic learning. It will

impact how I teach the students because I will feel like my styles of learning will be more
Bernarda Diaz Salgado 10/24/17 Roster: #5

dominant than others. I will try to encourage all other types of learning styles in the

classroom.

The styles that seem easier to me will be in my structure of teaching but I will also

take feedback on how the students learn best so I knew they can get somewhere with

understanding the subject and the lesson. My life seems to be planned and I know there

will be obstacles in the way, and I will overcome them. I knew students will need help

and I will try my very best to make everyone feel comfortable with the learning.

Everyone has their own learning styles and I know it will be challenging but I know I will

fight till I get it right. Teaching will be the best thing that will occur in my life.