ESOL teacher Ms. Diaz has been teaching for 20 years, but her love for it started before
she entered her first classroom. As a child she would play school with her cousins, fascinated by books, stickers, and the simple joy of learning. That early spark grew into a lifelong passion fueled by mentors who inspired her, a grandmother who guided her, and a desire to help students discover their own potential. Today, she not only teaches English but also encourages students to believe in themselves, embrace challenges and believe in what they can achieve.
Ms. Diaz grew up in Miami and was once an ESOL student herself. Because of this, she understands what it feels like to learn English as a second language, which helps explain why she is so patient and supportive with her students. She often reminds students that learning a second language does not make them different from others. Ms. Diaz believes that confidence matters, and she once said that seeing students grow “fuels the teacher’s soul and keeps us going.”
Her teaching style focuses on reflection and adjusting to students’ needs. Ms. Diaz explained that “not every student learns the same way,” and because of that, she believes teachers need to change their lessons to help everyone understand. She uses reading out loud, writing practice, visual examples, and class discussions to help students improve.
Sophomore Haysil Diaz said that Ms. Diaz often starts class with a story to help students feel ready to learn, something Ms. Diaz believes helps students feel more comfortable and focused.
Ms. Diaz believes that growth is more important than perfection and wants students to feel confident trying, even when learning is difficult. Students notice how much she cares about their growth.
Junior Yamil Perla, a former student, said, “She helped me develop my reading skills by encouraging us and giving us work,” and shared that his English became more fluent and his test scores improved thanks to her help. He added that Ms. Diaz “made us feel comfortable because she treated us like friends more like students.”
Many students feel relaxed and supported in her classroom. Junior Carlos Bermudez explained, “The way she teaches is different because she interacts a lot with the students, and said she helped him improve his accent and pronunciation.
Ms. Diaz also helps students build strong daily habits. Sophomore Mercy Herrera likes how Ms. Diaz “made us do bell ringers and practice writing paragraphs, which helped me improve English skills over time.”
Another thing that makes Ms. Diaz special is how she supports students when they struggle. Junior Osciel Balmaseda said, “She looks for the points where you’re weak or strong and helps you be better.” He explained that reading out loud helped his pronunciation.
Ms. Diaz is a teacher who truly cares about her students. She once said that her goal is for students to remember her, to understand that everything she expects from them is “for their betterment,” and to “Have a blue-sky day.”
