Christelle Rocha (@Maestra_Rocha) | #BowTieTuesday
Introduction: This week’s #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to an educator that is hands down going to go down in the record books some day. Unmistakingly ahead of her time, this educator is at the forefront of various conversations and initiatives so critical in the society we are currently operating in and I am humbled to call her my friend. I strongly urge you to check out her blog – you will not be disappointed. Without further adieu, the Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Ms. Christelle Rocha (@Maestra_Rocha), a 7th and 8th-grade mathematics teacher in Los Angeles, California.
Educational Pursuit: Despite being considered a novice in the realm of education, Christelle possesses the intellect and wisdom of a seasoned veteran. She obtained both her bachelor and master’s degree from UCLA in Teacher Education. Since she was a child, Christelle was observant of the injustices in the educational system. When she began tutoring math students while in community college, she noticed that these injustices did not go away, and were much more prevalent in math. Regardless of someone’s background or level, math tends to be a barrier – this barrier being exacerbated for low-income students and students of color. Her passion for seeing students empowered through mathematics had cultivated her endeavor to pursue a mathematics degree, politically organize, and finally enter a math classroom.
Most Memorable Moment: Being a rookie hasn’t stopped Christelle from having an immediate effect on the lives of the students she interacts with. Her most memorable moment to date came from working with a special needs student throughout the last year where she wasn’t sure how to strategically support the student but was adamant about maintaining her high expectations. Over time, the student’s academic performance increased but was more remarkable and made the experience memorable was seeing the student exhibit more initiative to ask questions in and outside of class, strategically choose methods and models, and persevere through a problem. The increased awareness and accountability for their own growth was the icing on the cake for Ms. Rocha.
Personal Learning Interests: Christelle is open to learning everything and anything pertaining to education. More specifically, she is interested in how to make her classroom more accessible to parents, particularly the technological aspects of it. Outside of the realm of education, Christelle is focused on developing her abilities as a painter.
The Fun Stuff
Christelle’s go-to Karaoke Song: Feeling Good by Michael Bublé
Christelle’s Inside Scoop: Although she doesn’t get the opportunity to go out very often, Christelle loves to dance salsa and bachata.
Thank you, Christelle, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. Never did I imagine that our impromptu trip that night in San Francisco would translate into the friendship we have nowadays and the positive impact you have had on my PLN! I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward – you are going to change the narrative for our society.
Thanks for reading and sharing!
Bow-Tie Joe
