Maria Dominguez
1st Grade Bilingual Teacher
Austin, TX
Maria was born in Guanajuato, Mexico where she lived in a modest house with her mother, grandmother, and three siblings. When she was eight years old, her mother received a phone call that would change her. Her father had passed away in an automobile accident in Texas. Her mother then decided that they would migrate to the United States, bringing along her four children.
She graduated high school with honors, she knew that continuing her education would be an adversity. She was an undocumented student, but she did not give up and decided to enroll in Austin Community College. As she got ready to transfer to a four-year university, she made the ultimate decision that would change her life: she would become a bilingual teacher. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Texas State University in Bilingual Education in December 2007.
Because of her legal status she could not teach at public schools. Nevertheless, she began to teach Sunday School at her church, giving her the opportunity to teach children. She later on enrolled in Texas State University for her Master’s Degree in Bilingual Education and minor in Educational Leadership.
On June 15, 2012, President Obama announced Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which would grant certain undocumented immigrants a two-year work permit and a suspension of deportation. Maria was excited and thankful because she would have the opportunity to practice her profession. She applied for DACA in August 2012 and received her approval in December 2012. In February 2013, she was hired by the Austin Independent School District as a Pre-K bilingual teacher. She works at a Title I school where over 96% of the students receive free or reduced lunch. She attended a similar school and now she has the opportunity to give back to a community that reflects the community where she came from. Her students come from similar walks of life and they all share similar stories. This allows the teachers, to become their role models and make a positive impact in their lives.
As a teacher, Education Austin member and AFT member she has been granted the opportunity to work with the immigrant community – in particular undocumented youth. She helps U.S. residents fill out their citizenship applications and Dreamers fill out their DACA application. She has also shared her story at DACA forums. She has also attended several conferences with AFT that focus on immigration, and how members can work with their locals to help members, parents and students.
Thanks to the work she is doing in her classroom and in her community, the White House honored her this past July 24th, as a DACAmented Teacher Champion of Change. She felt thrilled to receive this kind of recognition by the White House. There needs to be constant people who advocate for students, parents and the community.
Why do you teach?
I teach because I believe I can make a positive difference in the lives of my students. I care about my students and my goal is to help them achieve their dreams, even if that simply means believing in them. I feel I have been given the opportunity to achieve my potential and I truly believe that sometimes children only need someone who is going to care enough to guide them and motivate them.
What do you love about teaching?
The best part of being a teacher is that I am also a student, I learn with my students. We grow together; we learn together, they motivate me to try new ways of teaching. At the end of the day, everything is worth it when I see my students’ academic and personal achievements. I love to hear my students say, “I got it!” during a math lesson. I love seeing them struggling to read and seeing them become fluent readers at the end of the school year.
When you were a student, was there a great teacher who inspired you?
Yes, definitely! I had great teachers that made a difference in my life. They saw something in me that I did not see at the time. They believed in me, they made me feel like they cared about me. I remember Ms. Morin in middle school, my ESL teacher, who pushed me to learn English and motivated me to speak English because I was a very shy student. Sgt. Claywell, my ROTC instructor, who knowing I was undocumented saw my potential and helped me write letters to congressmen trying to find a way for me to go to college. I thank these amazing teachers for believing in me.
