1. Introduction – Vincent Juarez EDU692: Creativity Culture and Global Contexts in Education Decision Making

2. Identifying Fundamental Factors My religious beliefs and being raised in a tight-knit church community are of great consequence to me; my principles greatly affect my relationships and the way that I conduct myself at home and at school. The neighborhood in which I grew up also heavily influenced my emotional and social disposition; despite the gang activity and drug trafficking, there was a communal effort to protect the children and raise them with a strong moral compass. Finally, my lower SES (Socio- Economic Status) greatly impacted my ideals of appreciating everything that we had, even when we had was very little – which was often the case.

3. Howdy & Buenos Dias I was born in the heart of Texas, San Antonio, and lived there until I graduated from high school. I lived and attended public schools in a predominantly Hispanic area of the city that was neglected and most of the students were living below the poverty level. I knew that if I stayed put I would likely end up like many of my childhood friends – dead, incarcerated, or on drugs.

4. Staying The Course Given the history of my older siblings inability to stay in school and graduate, I was extremely resolute on doing well throughout elementary, middle, and high school; earning my diploma became a crusade not just a goal. I did not allow my family’s negative circumstances (limited resources, poor English speaking skills, parents having to work constantly to provide, unwanted pregnancies, etc.) to limit me, instead I used it to focus on making a better life for myself.

5. Time To Serve Even before graduating high school I committed to enlisting with my brother into the United States Marine Corps. I spent 21 years honorably protecting and serving our nation. I have been retired for nearly 6 years and now reside in Accokeek, MD., approximately 30 minutes from Washington, DC.

6. Worldwide Education I have seen many of the educational systems from many different countries during my travels abroad. This is one of my reasons for wanting to pursue a second career in education to make a difference at some level for at least some of the children in our own nation.

7. Why a Master’s degree with a specialization in ELL? I have over 4 years of instructing adults in a classroom setting and recently completed my student-teaching. I felt it important to pursue my Master’s degree now before rejoining the work force. Achieving my Master’s degree in ELL will allow me to help those who struggled as I did when I was a child.

8. Giving Back Too often when we make a decent life for ourselves we neglect or overlook many of those who are still struggling today; however, I vigilantly try to help those who are contending with their own deficiencies. I hope to impart to many of the young elementary students (especially the males) that I will instruct, an opportunity to become more than they dare dream and not end up as a statistic in the future. One of my past classes!

9. Support Structure As many of my colleagues would likely agree, having a strong backing from family and friends is crucial. My wife and sons not only inspire and motivate me to achieve my goals but they have made attaining my Masters a reality.

10. Taken All Together – How It Makes Me Who I Am Today! Culturally speaking, I firmly believe that my Hispanic heritage has and continues to play a significant role in how others see me and in how I view myself; additionally, the difficulties I encountered as a child did not define me but created a determination within me to overcome those obstacles. Moreover, my role as a husband and father, in conjunction with by my career as a Marine, impacts heavily on my teaching philosophy and how I interact with my students I am firm but I am fair!