Fellow educators and students, My name is Natalia Frangullie. I am a second generation Cuban and Mexican - American. I was born and raised in Houston, TX. After pursuing many different majors, ranging from nursing to psychology, I went with my heart and obtained a degree in Literature. Many people told me that I would regret it, that I would regret becoming a teacher. “The hours are too long.” “The pay isn’t enough.” “You won’t last a day.” It didn’t matter what they said. I knew that I wanted to be an educator. I wanted to share my love of reading and writing with others. I finally graduated from the University of Houston with my BA in English Literature in 2015. I am the second person in my family to receive a college degree. I was relieved. I knew that this was only the beginning. But nothing had prepared me for the reality of my first year of teaching. I was fortunate enough to land a job at Jane Long Academy. I was tasked with teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade English Language Arts. It was a lot to take in. I was teaching students from cultures that I was unfamiliar with, speaking Spanish more often than I ever had at home, and realizing that everything I had been taught about effective teaching was not necessarily relevant for my kids. I was struggling to scaffold, differentiate, and engage them. I was doing everything I could to be effective in the eyes of my superiors and the eyes of my students. I made it through my first year and wanted to come back even stronger. Ms. Williams approached me and introduced me to Project Based Learning. She swore by the benefits that my ELLs (English Language Learners) could experience. I decided to give it a try. I am excited to share this journey with you all. This is not about me as an educator. This is about children who have to overcome daily obstacles just to survive our educational standards. This is about their journey to enjoying learning and being proud of their accomplishments. This is about the future of teaching and Project Based Learning for English Language Learners.
Signed,
Natalia Francesca Frangullie BA English Literature English Language Arts Teacher Jane Long Academy [email protected]