Jackson Middle School is home for Amabel Arellano. She first walked the halls as a student teacher ten years ago and couldn’t believe her luck when she was offered a full-time position working with Alternative Learning Environment (ALE) students. Arellano considers herself a lifelong learner and encourages her students to embrace that mindset. Her passion for teaching and learning inspired her to become a mentor teacher while returning to school for a master’s degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
With ten years of teaching experience under her belt, Arellano was ready to mentor the next generation of aspiring teachers. Alyssa Juarez, a fellow UTSA student, wound up in her classroom. The mentor and mentee had no idea their experiences together in the classroom would culminate in a shared, powerful moment on graduation day, with both women walking the stage to accept their respective degrees.
“I think it made us connect even more that we were both going through school at the same time and we both understood all of our duties in the classroom and outside of school,” said Arellano. “I wanted her to see that this age is so important for our kids because they tend to take paths and we can be such a tool and inspiration for them. We can make a huge difference in middle school and I wanted her to get that perspective and I think she did.”
Dedicated educators like Arellano inspire everyone around them and can make such an impact on young teachers starting their careers in education. The supportive, encouraging people who call Jackson home are part of what keeps Arellano coming back year after year. After all, they helped her dream job become a reality, and she hopes to continue mentoring and sharing that experience with the next generation of educators.
“Sometimes, new teachers have a different perspective of middle school and it taught me that I can inspire someone else, not just my students,” said Arellano. “I felt a different environment when I walked into Jackson. It’s a very positive culture here. We’re a family.”
