My name is Ana Paula Arredondo and I am the 5^th grade Dual Language Spanish & English Teacher at Govalle Elementary school in East Austin. I serve 22 students of diverse nationalities, life experiences, learning abilities and talents. I support them day-to-day in their understanding and application of language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and health & wellness. I prepare them to go to and through college by creating a safe and caring learning environment where they can explore the world around them by using online platforms, hands-on manipulatives, interactive discussions, and a classroom prepared for their endless creativity. 

I am the 5^th grade team leader, supporting my teammates through curriculum, student behavior and home issues. I ensure their needs are communicated, stressed and are met by our administration team. I am the liason between our team and various enrichment organizations that provide low-budget experiences outside or inside of our classrooms. 

Lastly, I am the mentor to a first-year teacher, supporting him through his onboarding experience with a focus on his emotional and social state of mind: exposing him to physical movement and extending an Austin welcoming with weekend activities.

I am passionate about serving my community. I have served the East Austin community for the last six years and plan on continuing my path to further support the children of minorities and children with high-needs. I have used my Elementary Education and Bilingual Bicultural degree from Saint Mary’s College of Notre Dame, Indiana to create a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate for children and one that celebrates their multilingual abilities. I use my catholic faith to enrich my curriculum with acts of kindness, morning interntions and a love and appreciation for their friends, family, neighbors and their planet. I use my mother’s Montessori method to give my students the liberty to pursue their curiosities and to help me design a space where endless materials are at my childrens' reach. I use my dad’s passion for music to incorporate tunes as white noise in the background of my classroom and his entreuperneurial spirit to lead projects that encourage my students' ability to create and market products that once lived in their imagination. Lastly, I use my hobby of climbing and yoga to share physical movements with my students to expose them to a world of self-care, self-love and the outdoors. 

While all of these pillars have shaped me into the educator and leader I am today, I must not forget that I, too, yearn for an oppotunity to learn, grow, and develop into a stronger and more competent educator, who understands and solves the education dilemas of our 21st century and who's willing to share these solutions with the vast community in East Austin.

In two weeks time, with your support, I will be able to address our immediate school dilemmas like racial division, gentrification, school closings, the pandemic, virtual education, mental health and standardized testing by attending the following SX seminars: Disrupting Racial Inequities, How Student Developers Are Saving the World, Talking Student Mental Health, and When Culture Wars Come to School.

I look forward to this opportunity and will do my part to share best practices with students, parents, and colleagues through a variety of live updates using social media, written platforms and zoom webinars in the weeks to come. Thank you!