Who is Mrs. Esquen?

First of all, I knew I was going to be a teacher since I was a 4 year old Kindergarten student at Southside Elementary School in Miami, Florida.  Back then, I only knew a little bit of English.   However, as soon as I walked into school in August of 1976, I knew that was the place for me!  Like the rest of the kids in Little Havana, I spoke mostly in Spanish, but I loved the excitement of learning new things and I was so eager to read. I remember distinctly when my teacher, Mrs. Diaz, taught us our ABC's, the Pledge of Allegiance, and which hand was my right one and which was my left.  My school and life journey continued and took many paths-- through Georgia and back to Florida again.  I graduated from Colonial High School in Orlando 1989 and was the first in my family to attend college.

I graduated from Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1993 with a double major in Spanish and History.  Although I knew I wanted to be a teacher, I chose to wait a little while before starting.  You see, back then I had chosen to teach high school and since I was only 21 when I graduated, I thought I should be a little older.  The worst part is I looked like I was 16!  Now, I don't think that is so bad.

While I was in college, I also met and married my husband.  We have been married for 13 years now and traveled many places together.  Since he is from Peru, we have gone there many times.  We have also been to Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain.  We really want to go to Cuba one day, where my Father's family is from!  We have 3 awesome children- Anthony, Amanda, and Alex- and I tell stories about them often. 

Finally in 1996, when I was 24 years old, I started teaching in Atlanta, Georgia.  I taught at Westlake High School, Northwestern Middle School, and Woodstock High School.  In 2002 we moved to Orlando and I taught at Timber Creek High School and finally in 2003, I joined the faculty at Sunrise Elementary School.  I have enjoyed all of my teaching experiences and have learned so much from my students, parents, and colleagues.  My favorite part of teaching are the students!  I enjoy getting to know each individual and being able to be an encourager and mentor.  There is nothing quite as awesome as having a student say, "Oh, I get it NOW!!! " 
I am certified in Florida in Spanish (K-12) and Elementary Education (K-6).

While many things have happened in my life since I was a little girl in Miami, one thing that stayed the same is my love for school, and my love of learning.  I hope my enthusiasm is contagious as we all strive to reach our goals.

This page theme shows one of my favorite things- the beach.

The music you're listening to is Mambo #5!