Ms. Delgado-Kow is a 9th and 10th grade teacher of world history and psychology. She is loved for the welcoming and comfortable environment all her students feel in her classroom. She makes her students want to learn with her humor and interesting teaching methods. She’s a fun combination of strict and easy-going.

Childhood

Ms. Delgado-Kow is of Hispanic descent, raised right here in Miami. She says, “Playing softball in elementary school and going to visit my grandfather’s farm are two of my favorite memories from my childhood.”

High-school experience

She attended our very own school, Miami Senior High, and graduated in 1993. She states, “I enjoyed my senior year a lot and I always looked forward to the fun activities and going to college.”

Since she went to MHS, Ms. Delgado-Kow advises students at our school, “Take part in activities, make good memories, and put your best effort forward. Challenge yourself! You will be surprised what you can accomplish.”

When you graduate you most likely won’t have everything figured out. Ms. Delgado-Kow, states, “When I was 18, I was a little lost and figuring things out, but I will say I’m happy with how my life turned out.”

College days

She attended college from 1993 to 2000 at Miami Dade College and FIU. She says, “My favorite memory is meeting my husband in an accounting class.”

At first, she did not intend to become a teacher. She says, “I wanted to be an architect when I was younger, and then when I graduated high school, I started nursing.” She took a pause from nursing for a year and decided to switch out of it. “At that time, I was working at Miami High as a paraprofessional, and that’s when I decided to pursue a career in education.”

Life as a teacher

Adjusting to all the different academic needs of students was a big obstacle for Ms. Delgado-Kow. She says, “Students learn at different speeds/levels, and this presents a time challenge as you need to move forward to other topics but cannot leave students behind.”

Ms. Delgado-Kow has her own teaching methods. She says, “The way I teach is very structured. I break things down for students. Many students have informed me that they like the way I explain the topic and how much easier it is for them to understand.”

She’s taught for over 15 years at different schools but transferred to MHS in 2015, and she says the best part is “watching students grow.” Her favorite thing is seeing how students change from 9th to 12th grade and start to realize how important education is.

She teaches social studies because of a class she took in college that sparked her interest in American History. “I had a professor who was wonderful at painting pictures in your head,” she said. “That class piqued my interest, and the rest is history (no pun intended).”

Even though she loves teaching, she is honest about the hard parts too. “The worst part of teaching is the politics behind educational decisions,” she said. She believes that people who make the rules often don’t understand what it’s really like for teachers and students. .

Classroom environment

Students usually do not confide in their teachers because they’re scared of judgement, but Ms. Delgado-Kow is the type of teacher where you can tell her anything. She says, “My students are comfortable in my classroom. I like to make my classroom welcoming. I also like to make my students be able to express themselves without feeling judged.”

A classroom environment changes how a student feels about a teacher. She says, “I believe I have a good relationship with all my students due to my classroom being a welcoming and fun environment.”

She believes in all of us, even when we don’t believe in ourselves. “Success is not always about being smart. Most of the time, success is derived from dedication,” she says.

Personal life

She and her husband have been married for 18 years and have two kids. Together, they enjoy biking around Miami, going to the beach, and watching movies. She also loves to garden and take care of her plants.

She’s traveled all over, from Mexico, to Canada, to Italy, and hopes to visit California, Hawaii, or somewhere in Asia. And in the future? “In 20 years, I hope to be retired, living close to the beach,” she said.

Even though Ms. Delgado-Kow never expected to be a teacher, it’s clear she was meant to be one. She is the kind of person who believes in hard work, making connections, and growing alongside her students. And honestly, that’s inspiring.