“Who taught you how to teach?” was the first question I was asked at Rain Forest International School (RFIS) after I finished a twenty-minute lesson with incoming students. “I taught myself through YouTube videos, online articles, and memories of my own teachers,” I replied. “How long do you plan to work at RFIS?” the interviewer asked. “I plan to be here for at least two years,” I said. “And what are your plans after that?” she asked. “I am praying to find a job in my field of study.”

A day after the interview, I received a call and was told, “We would love for you to join our team of teachers in serving our students. Would you be willing?” With great joy, I said, “Yes.” That was the beginning of my teaching journey at RFIS, where I served from 2016 to 2024.

I must say that, in many ways, it felt as though I had entered a teacher training camp, because there were so many terms and practices I had never encountered before. It is fair to say that my first two years were devoted to learning how to teach, manage a classroom, plan lessons, and deliver them effectively. Once I began to feel confident in my role as a Language Support person, I was entrusted with additional responsibilities, including teaching English Language Learners as a separate class rather than simply supporting them. When teachers were needed, I stepped in to teach African Studies for half a year. The following year, when a History 9 teacher was needed, I chose to teach that class instead of French. Eventually, the school placed me in Middle School Standard English and Middle School Humanities. Throughout those eight years, despite the many different classes I taught, I continued to fulfill my responsibilities as an English Language Support specialist.

Every year felt like a season of training, because I rarely taught the same classes twice in a row, except for the last two years, when I taught both Middle School English and Middle School Humanities. This most recent year, which has just come to an end, felt more settled because I no longer had to plan entirely new material as I did the first time I taught those courses.

In addition to my classroom duties, I also served as a coach for soccer, basketball, and volleyball. I mentored students and led small groups, which was especially meaningful to me, as working with young people and providing guidance has always been one of my greatest passions. When our SAT Coordinator knew she would be retiring the following year, she began training me to take over her responsibilities, as I had already been working alongside her since 2016. She retired in 2022.

However, I would not have gained such knowledge in education and in many other areas without the support of my wonderful coworkers, who patiently answered my questions and shared advice on classroom management, the use of available resources, and effective communication with parents. Each of them poured into me generously, and their guidance helped shape me into the educator and leader I am today. For that, I am deeply grateful.

Whenever students complained about a concept, I would jokingly tell them to “blame” my mentors, because I had asked them how best to explain it and was simply following their advice. Those light-hearted moments brought so much joy to my classroom. I had so much fun with my students, and I could see from their expressions and their eagerness to participate that they genuinely enjoyed the lessons, the stories, and one another’s company.

As I move on to a new chapter in my life, I will carry with me the memories of these past eight years—years filled with laughter, prayer, tears, love, and friendship.

I will always hold you all close to my heart.