Chicago resident teacher Maria Pulido is one step closer to making her dream come true as she meets new milestones with the AUSL Teacher Residency.
The mentor teacher and resident teacher relationship is one component that makes the AUSL teacher residency program unique compared to traditional teacher preparation programs. Mentor teachers are experienced, passionate teachers that guide and push resident teachers forward.
They are truly special teacher leaders who care about making a difference and training the next generation of educators.
Resident teachers patiently wait until the end of their summer coursework to find out their training site and mentor teacher. Before the school year began, Maria was paired with Mrs. Adriana Ortiz, a special education teacher at Piccolo School of Excellence in Chicago’s West Humboldt Park neighborhood.
“My own mentors played a key role in shaping my teaching practice and I wanted to provide that same guidance and encouragement to others. I am excited to watch Maria grow throughout the year and collaborate on creating strong learning experiences for our students,” said Mrs. Ortiz.
Maria really got to know Mrs. Ortiz during week zero, the staff-only week before the first day of school when teachers attend professional development as well as plan and prepare their classrooms for students. Maria and Mrs. Ortiz discovered they share a lot of similarities including their cultural background, Spanish-speaking upbringing, and passion for working with diverse learners.
“Once I stepped into Piccolo with my co-residents, I felt safe and protected,” said Maria.
“AUSL pairing me with Ms. Ortiz felt like the missing puzzle piece for my experience. Within days, I felt her genuine support would bring me a lot of comfort as we navigate the classroom together.”
When the first day of school came, Maria was flooded with emotions and reflected on the beginning of her journey. Maria’s first day at Piccolo reminded her of when she was a student in the early 2000s at Nathan S. Davis Elementary School – just as excited and curious about what the school day will bring.
“It brought me back to that excitement I had on the first days of school growing up. It’s fulfilling to know that it’s now my turn as a teacher to spark that same excitement for my students,” said Maria.
Maria’s time in the classroom has also reminded her of her purpose for starting the residency program.
“Stepping into the classroom and interacting with our diverse learners continues to remind me of my brother,” she said.
“All the challenges that he faced and that I didn’t quite understand push me to intentionally apply my learnings from my mentor teacher to fully support our students.”
Ms. Ortiz is starting her second year as a mentor teacher with AUSL and is eager to provide more mentorship in the coming years. Her expertise has shaped Maria’s view of how to manage a classroom successfully.
“We have many students with different needs and Ms. Ortiz has taught me the importance of knowing each student individually to plan for better student groups in the classroom,” said Maria.
Ms. Ortiz and Maria are working towards creating a classroom environment where students feel safe and comfortable to be themselves and find joy in learning together.
Maria is already connecting her why of becoming the educator her brother didn’t have to her practice in the classroom and, with help from her mentor teacher, is building her own style of teaching. As we continue to capture Maria’s road to graduation, she moves one step closer feeling aligned in her residency experience and prepared for the next milestone.
In the coming weeks, Maria will have her first lead teach experience where resident teachers lead the classroom.
Learn more about our teacher training and how AUSL ensures resident teachers are fully prepared to teach on day one: https://www.auslchicago.org/about-the-chicago-teacher-residency/
