To Mrs. Mercado and all Latino teachers, thank you! - Latinos for Education

By: Dr. Karen Maldonado, Chief Program and Innovation Officer

I’ll never forget sitting at my wooden desk at my grammar school in The Bronx and seeing myself at the chalkboard; Karencita, at 12 years old, looking at a reflection of what I imagined was me at 30 years old—chalk in one hand as a write an equation on the board and chalk all over the other hand, face, and soul, showing the enthusiasm and passion I have for mathematics. I was Mrs. Mercado and Mrs. Mercado was me.

Mrs. Mercado instilled a love for mathematics that I still carry with me today. Every time I put together a presentation, a logic model or balance a budget, I’m reminded of how she would tell us to organize our thoughts, to go through the processes, and explain how we got to our answers – always doing it in an engaging and encouraging way. The math student I was back then is the same person I am now, and I recognize the times I have been most successful in life are when I follow the same steps taught in class over 30 years ago.

Mrs. Mercado also created a warm and welcoming environment in her classroom which made it feel like home the minute I would walk in. The way she would call me “nena” and say, ‘try it this way’ as she would explain derivatives with instrumental latin music playing in the background. The way she would bring snacks from the bodega to share with the classroom; goodies that reminded me of my Puerto Rican roots. The way she would dress in vibrant colors and prints, her style was so reminiscent of the strong women in my family. She wasn’t just teaching us Algebra, she was setting a foundation and love for education, which would set us up for success in life.

I could see myself in Mrs. Mercado’s beautiful dulce de leche skin because she looked like my family, my neighbors and everyone I loved. She was one of the first educators I can unequivocally say changed my life; and she represents all the reasons we need more Latino educators in classrooms.

As I reflect on the work I am doing now at Latinos for Education, I know I’ve chosen wisely. Every Latino student in our education system needs a Mrs. Mercado in their life – an educator who shares their culture and leverages their cultural connection to promote excellence at all levels.

When I became a teacher in Washington Heights, on several occasions my bright and otherwise energetic Puerto Rican and Dominican students would return from the cafeteria shaken and looking defeated, and silence filled the classroom. In Spanish, I would ask what was wrong only to find out other students had made fun of their accents and they felt ashamed to speak in English. While my job as an English as a Second Language teacher was to help them become proficient and literate in English, it was also important to give them the confidence and reassurance to know they were worthy and could be successful. My own cultural connections to my students allowed them to persevere. 

Latinos will make up 30% of all students in the U.S. education system by 2030, but Latinos only comprise 9% of all teachers in our education system. Unless we do the work to increase the number of Latino teachers in the educator workforce, millions of Latino students will go through their entire educational journey without seeing a teacher who shares their background and culture. They’ll miss out on the opportunity to have a Mrs. Mercado in their lives, which research tells us has a disproportionately negative impact on their academic outcomes.

This Teacher Appreciation Week, it is critical to uplift Latino teachers and double down on our commitment to attract and retain more Latino teachers into the teaching profession.

To future Latino teachers: you matter, you are appreciated and you are needed—not only during Teacher Appreciation week, but always. As a Latina educator, here are some helpful tips which guided my journey into teaching:

• Find your core. What kind of teacher do you want to be? How do you want to show up for your students? What kind of real-life connections can you make so your students find learning, challenging, fulfilling, fun and accessible? Do the work you need to do on yourself to be successful for you—and for your students.
• Find your community. Who are the colleagues that will be there for you when you need support? Who are the mentors that can help you grow as a professional? What are the programs that can help you become a great educator? Latinos for Education has programs like the Latinx Teachers Fellowship and the Aspiring Latino Leaders Fellowship which are designed to help teachers find or reconnect with their core and their crew. Seek programs like these, and EdCentro – a virtual network for Latinos interested in careers within education.
• Make real life connections. While the curriculum is there to guide you, it isn’t enough. As you build your lesson plans, or think about activities, find ways to make real life connections to the things students understand. For me, it was the stories, the high expectations, and the instrumental music Mrs. Mercado would play in the classroom. For others, it might be something different—and that’s okay! Learn the many different ways to connect with your students.
• Collect as much data as you can. Every time a student would share a story or anecdote or when I would observe my students as they worked in groups, I used these opportunities to learn more about them and revise my approach to teaching. The more data I had, the better teacher I became.

I’ll never forget the smiles and joy that would fill my students’ faces when they would learn a new math concept or when they would enthusiastically explain to each other the meaning of a new concept in English. These instances of joy reaffirmed that the work Latino educators do is legacy work. We can help thousands of bright students tap into their potential and succeed in education and life. Thank you to all the Latinos and Latinas who have chosen teaching as their calling, your work is life changing and transformative. 

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Karen Maldonado serves as Chief Program and Innovation Officer (CPIO) for Latinos for Education. In this role, she directs and guides the overall vision, strategy, design, and evolution of all program areas nationally—and provides leadership around K-16 partnerships, fundraising, budget-setting, and organizational strategy. Prior to serving as CPIO, Karen was Director of Education Reform for the Financial Oversight and Management Board of Puerto Rico (FOMB). She is a graduate of the inaugural cohort of Harvard’s Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) program, Fordham University (MS), City of New York at Hunter College (MA) and the State University of New York at Binghamton University (BA).