Careers In Teaching: Student Profiles
We are proud to have the following first-generation students with us:
Jonathan Berenguer
Who or what influenced you to become a teacher?
Growing up I didn’t have a father to show me how to play sports or speak up for myself. I was very shy and didn’t like to participate in class. In 5th grade, my teacher, Mr. Plata didn’t only teach me literacy, math, or any academic subject, he taught me about life. Mr. Plata inspired me and motivated me to speak up for myself and to believe in myself. He even pushed me to play sports and taught me how to play. He changed my life and inspired me to be what he was to me; a teacher teaching the whole student, not just the academic side. Till this day, many years later, I still keep in touch with him and we both work at Lehman College.
Why did you join CIT (or what motivated you to join CIT)?Being in a commuter college like Lehman College, sometimes we don’t feel that connected community feeling as in other colleges, so I joined CIT to be part of a community of like minded peers who share the same goals and dreams to become teachers. Having winter and summer classes together is also a big plus. The trips and free winter/summer classes was also an incentive to join.
What is something about yourself that would surprise others?
When I was 19, my cousin, who is also in CIT, and I, started our own small private tutoring business called By Your Side Tutoring.
Paul Darden
1. What motivated you to join CIT?
The honest answer is that a friend recommended that I join the program and I did. I knew nothing about the program but as far as college goes this was one of the best moves I’ve made so far.
2. Why are you interested in the education field?
The political answer is that I’ve noticed the change a great teacher can have on the life of a student. My honest answer is that I’ve seen teachers save students’ lives. What teachers do and the effect they have goes far beyond the classroom. There are too many horrible teachers who shouldn’t be in the classroom and I want to change that. I have had great teachers who have taught me more than any text book could and what they did couldn’t be assessed or measured by an exam or peer evaluation. I look to build off what I have learned from think and give my students skills not to just pass exams but to love knowledge and embrace learning.
3. How do you hope to inspire your future students?
I hope to inspire my students by being honest and never allowing them to quit, also by adding humor and elements from the lives of the students into the classroom regardless of how tedious it can be for. I want for them to become independent thinkers and challenge the status quo by examining what they hear and see with an analytical eye and ear.
Jasmin Mendez
Who or what influenced you to become a teacher?
A quote that I recall from my sophomore year English class in high school was “Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions” by Harold Geneen. I believe that the people that influence one’s life the most are those who exemplify leadership. My aunt, Luisa Morales, embodies just this. She came from the Dominican Republic at the age of 16 to start college not knowing much English. She completed her bachelor’s degree, here, at Lehman College and went on to earn two Master’s Degrees, one at Mercy College and one at Fordham University. She is now the Assistant Principal of a high school in New York City. As a Latina woman my aunt is one of my biggest role models. She is a huge part of my decision to become a teacher. Her leadership skills have always influenced and shaped me into the woman and teacher I still wish to become.
Why did you join CIT (or what motivated you to join CIT)?
I had seen the flyers around Lehman’s campus and was interested but who really sealed the deal was Janice Kohn, the Careers in Teaching’s program director! She was nothing but smiles when she came around the cafeteria handing out the CIT flyers and was very supportive when it came to all of my questions. All of the incentives that CIT offers are great but I believe that the staff creates such a wonderful environment that it’s hard not to want to be involved!
What is something about yourself that would surprise others?
One thing about myself that others would find surprising is that I am a very handy woman. From changing tires to painting to remodeling, just give me a brush, a hammer, a screwdriver, or any tool and I’ll get it done!
Jesenia Morales
My name is Jesenia Morales and I am a junior here at Lehman. I am here to speak to you about my experience in the Careers in Teaching Program. I joined Careers In Teaching in the Fall of 2011 and feel very fortunate to be a part of it. It plays an important role in my experience as a Lehman College student.
CIT has helped me catch up with my necessary credits to graduate on time. At times the college workload is challenging but with the support of my Counselor Advocate and the CIT staff, I have been encouraged to continue to work hard and strive high.
The Careers in Teaching program is:
- Supportive and accessible, providing information and guidance.
- Provides important resources such as making computers accessible, and distributing notebooks, textbooks and other useful gadgets.
- Offers great educational trips and orientations.
- Best of all they offer tuition waved summer and winter classes.
During summer session one I took two classes provided by the CIT. Both classes were instructed by professors who taught well, were organized with their work, and who genuinely cared for the subject and their students. My experience with the classes provided by the CIT has shown me that they take the time to hire faculty who are reliable, knowledgeable, and sincerely want to help students succeed. With this being said I thank the CIT for all they have done for me and look forward to being a part of the program for the next two years.
Israel L. Ramos
Major: Latin American and Puerto Rican Studies
Minor: Early Childhood and Childhood Education
What motivated you to join CIT?I first heard of CIT from a fellow student in one of my classes during my first semester at Lehman College. She persuaded me to stop by and inquire about what CIT was about and how it is a valuable asset for students minoring in Early Childhood Education. When I interviewed with one of the coordinators, I was assured that CIT was a program in which I should be involved with because of the benefits and guidance the counselors provide for prospective teachers.
Why are you interested in the education field?
There are so few Hispanic men who are actual early childhood teachers and I felt that it is imperative that I give back to my community of East Harlem by educating the youth. I originally had plans of pursuing a career in Linguistics; however I took some courses in education and started tutoring children for a private organization. That basically set the foundation for continuing my studies within the field of Early Childhood and Childhood Education.
How do you hope to inspire your future students?By instilling in them a positive outlook on life and ensuring them that if they work hard and pursue their passion, they are more than capable of accomplishing their goals.
Allison Rodriguez
Who or what influenced you to become a teacher?
I was always told “you are so great with children” growing up as a teenager. Babysitting my neighbor’s children and working with toddlers brought out this side of me I never realized I had until I graduated from High School. Becoming a teacher was something I choose to do on my own. I love being around children and I know I have what it takes to be an amazing teacher. It is the field that I shine in the most, where I can apply all my skills and share knowledge with children. My passion for teaching has always been around and as I became older my feelings for teaching have become stronger. So when someone asks me “who or what influenced you to become a teacher?” I say “my passion for children”. I want to be the teacher that a student can look back at years from now and say “I remember Ms. Rodriguez she encouraged me to become who I am today”.
Why did you join CIT (or what motivated you to join CIT)?
It was my first semester at Lehman College and as a transfer student I did not know much about the campus or who to talk to when I needed advice or help. As I waited in the Sociology department one of the Program Directors of CIT came and introduced herself. Her personality alone was so wonderful she made me comfortable and interested. When she explained to me what the program was and what it had to offer I knew it was just the right program for me. Being a new student at Lehman I knew it would be an awesome way to meet new people who had the same interest as me and that was making a difference in the education system and a difference in a child’s life.
What is something about yourself that would surprise others?
There are a few things that many people do not know about me but, the one thing that I know would surprise others would be me being a former clown’s assistant. It was a fun and entertaining way to interact with children and inspired my creative side a whole lot more. It led to me learning how to face paint, do magic tricks, and make balloon art. It’s a bit silly but I had so much fun doing it.
Malcolm Young
What motivated you to join CIT?
The opportunity to network with people who have similar career interests, as well as to make friends in the field. Another key factor influencing my decision to become a member of CIT was having the extra support to keep me motivated in succeeding with my academic goals as well as in life. The support given by CIT is marvelous and keeps one striving for success. Lastly, I was motivated by the chance to learn of my strengths and weaknesses through the guidance of more experienced leaders and my peers. The best way to see one’s self is through the reflection of the people they’re around.
Why are you interested in the field of education?The main reasons I became interested in the education field was to gain the opportunity to share knowledge with students, and the possibility of becoming the changing factor in a student’s life. As my past teachers helped shape me into the student I am today, I hope to now do the same for my future students. My past teachers sacrificed a lot of time, effort and strength in order to make sure my generation is able to give to the future generation. I wish to continue the trend and be a factor in the success of the next generation.
How do you hope to inspire future students?My goal as a future teacher is to prepare students to become productive members in our democratic society. As a teacher I hope to inspire students to continuously put forth all their effort in anything they choose to do despite how challenging things may become. Anything worth having is worth working for. I also want to inspire every student, every individual is unique and it is up to them to use that uniqueness to make a difference for the next generation.
Last modified: Sep 13, 2012
