Posted on December 3, 2024 by Katelyn Juarez
Fall 2024 Commencement Profile
Rocio Miramontes
Rocio Miramontes’ path to becoming a teacher has been shaped by her experiences as a first-generation student. Born in Mexico, Miramontes attended Pre-K through first grade in the small town of Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico before her family made the decision to move to the United States when she was seven years old.
The transition was not easy. Miramontes and her family initially lived in a cramped garage with her grandfather in San Antonio, where she started second grade. Students from non-English-speaking backgrounds are often placed a grade level behind due to limited English proficiency, but Miramontes’s strong academic record from Mexico allowed her to remain in second grade.
“At first, it was really scary,” Miramontes recalls. “I didn’t know anyone, and I didn’t know the language. My parents couldn’t help me with my homework because they didn’t know English either.” Miramontes credits her close-kinit group of friends, who were also bilingual but were born in the U.S., for providing the support and guidance she needed during those early years.
Financial challenges were a source of stress of the Miramontes family, “When you think of coming here [to the U.S.], you think of the American Dream,” she reflects. Despite these hardships, her parents made immense sacrifices to support her education, with her father even selling his car to help pay for college.
Miramontes’ journey to finding her passion for teaching was not straightforward. She initially pursued nursing and computer science, driven by the desire to secure a well-paying career. It wasn’t until she reached college, however, that she truly began to reconnect with her Mexican heritage and find her calling in the field of education. Miramontes will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies EC-6 Bilingual.
“I wanted to fit in, and I was kind of embarrassed of my culture growing up,” Miramontes explains. “But those classes really helped me embrace who I am and made me proud to be Mexican.” Miramontes now aspires to be the kind of teacher she wishes she had, one who celebrates students’ cultural identities
Miramontes’ clinical teaching experience in a Pre-K at Washington Irving Dual Language Academy, an 1882 Dual Language Partner school, has further solidified her passion for the profession. Welcomed as a full-fledged member of the teaching team, she has taken on responsibilities such as leading small group instruction, collaborating on lesson plans, and decorating the classroom to create a more engaging environment. While the long hours and balancing of academic work have been challenging, Miramontes feels well-prepared for the demands of teaching.
“I want my students to feel what I’m feeling now as an adult,” Miramontes says. “I want them to keep their native language and not feel ashamed of who they are.”
Miramontes has accepted a dual language position for 2nd grade at Los Reyes Elementary in Helotes, Texas, where she is eager to continue inspiring young minds and helping them embrace their culture.
— Katelyn Juarez
