Carl Vazquez
english language arts teacher
Carl Vazquez
About Me
Welcome to my teaching portfolio! I am a student-teacher candidate for Grand Canyon University that just completed his Master's in Secondary Education.
I discovered a love for teaching whilst completing my undergraduate degree in Professional Writing, when I took on a position as an emergency 6th grade ELA teacher in the Peoria Unified School District.
After completing my undergrad and the semester, I moved back home to teach at Kofa High School in Yuma, Arizona. This is where I completed my student-teaching to meet the requirements for certification.
My positions have provided me with great challenges and rewarding outcomes and if you stick around through this portfolio, I hope to shed light as to what kind of educator and human I am.
Education
2014-2018 — High school diploma
Gila ridge High School
Participated in the maximum amount of AP Classes available, including AP Language and AP Literature.
Played and student-coached Varsity Golf and Varsity Soccer.
2018-2021 — Bachelor of Arts in Communications, emphasis in professional writing
Grand canyon University
Relevant Classes: Ethical Thinking in the Liberal Arts, Small Group Communication, Argumentation, Technical Writing, Conflict and Negotiation, Journalism, Advertising Writing
2022-April 2023 — master of secondary education,
Grand canyon university
Relevant Classes: Adolescent Psychology, Creating Engaging Learning Environments, Assessments, Curriculum and Instruction, Differentiation: Literacy, Structured English Immersion, Student Teaching
Experience
Sep 2021-May 2022 — 6th grade english
Santa Fe Elementary school
- Long-term substituted on an emergency certification
- Taught ELA and History in both English and Spanish, as the school is a Spanish Immersion sponsored school
- Lesson Planned with Instructional Coach on creating cross-disciplinary instruction
- Volunteered as an ELA tutor and as the school's crossing guard
Aug 2022- May 2023 — 9th grade english
kofa high school
- Manage 5 classes with an average of 29 students
- Create lessons compatible with 504 and ELL students
- Teach Informative, Descriptive and Narrative writing
- Teach literary analysis of short stories and a novel (Fahrenheit 451)
- Communicate effectively with administrators and parents
Jan 2023-April 2023 — Student teaching
Kofa high school
- Lesson Plan weekly
- Be observed and evaluated frequently
- Analyze data and trends in students
Arizona Exams
professional knowledge exam
Content knowledge exam
State Requirement: 220 out of 300
State Requirement: 220 out of 300
C. Vazquez's Score: 270 out of 300
C. Vazquez's Score: 273 out of 300
Recommendations
"Mr. Vazquez took over responsibilities and tasks needed to ensure that our students were supervised while receiving a quality education."
Mr. Nitschke
Principal of Santa Fe
"Carlos really listens to what people are saying, and the skill of really listening is one of the most essential skills for effective leaders."
Professor Rowell
GCU Professor of Argumentation
"He has sought out professional development opportunities, sought feedback from colleagues, and has been proactive in seeking ways to enhance his teaching practice."
Mr. Jankowski and Mr. Lewis
Instructional coaches of kofa high
"It has been a pleasure to work with him because he has brought a perspective that is complex and refreshing within the teaching environment here."
Ms. Conde
Head of structured english immersion at kofa High
"Student" Teaching
I've tracked my "student teaching" in this wholistic "Student Teaching Evaluation of Performance document. Click on the links below to see more!
My student teaching requires 4 formal evaluations. Click on the links below to read more about each!
My Work
Assignment Example with standard attached.
Student Trackers based on State standards.
Mental Health Certification
District Academic Decathalon Judge
Student Work
Book Recommendations
As an English teacher, I am struck by the relevance of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 to our modern society, where reading has become a lost art and mindless entertainment is ubiquitous. The novel's depiction of a dystopian future in which books are outlawed and "firemen" are tasked with burning them is a chilling reminder of the dangers of censorship and the importance of intellectual freedom.
One of the key themes of Fahrenheit 451 is the devaluation of reading and critical thinking in modern society. The characters in the novel are consumed by mindless entertainment and instant gratification, and have lost the ability to engage with complex ideas or think for themselves. In this way, Fahrenheit 451 serves as a warning about the dangers of anti-intellectualism and the need for a well-educated populace.
At the same time, the novel is a powerful commentary on the despair that can arise when we lose sight of our values and become consumed by consumerism and conformity. The characters in Fahrenheit 451 are deeply unhappy, and their society is marked by a sense of alienation and disillusionment. The novel's depiction of a future in which human connection is sacrificed for the sake of efficiency and conformity is a haunting reminder of what can happen when we lose sight of our humanity.
Fahrenheit 451 is a powerful call to action for educators and citizens alike. It reminds us of the importance of intellectual freedom, critical thinking, and a love of reading in maintaining a healthy and vibrant society. As an English teacher, I believe that this novel is essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of our society and the world we live in.
Goly, this sure sounds like a powerful analysis on the book Fahrenheit 451! Almost too good...
Music Recommendations
The Hotelier's "Home, Like NoPlace is There" may be the most important album of the 4th wave of Emo (a label that garners incredible amounts of controversy, as the lines between waves waver and flicker). It brings the sentiment that the 2nd wave built (of brooding feelings about hometowns and growing into adulthood) but with the expressions of a modern indie rock album: cleaner vocals and instrumentation and more poetic lyrics (the song Housebroken has been criticized for its grandiose allegory of domestic abuse relationships).
Nevertheless, its place in Emo history cannot be denied, receiving universal acclaim as THE seminal album to bridge the gap between the casual indie rock/punk audience and disenfranchised "Emos" of this generation that are too terrified to identify themselves as something that has long been ridiculed due to the "embarrassment" that was the much more commercially and thusly more well known 3rd wave of Emo (the stereotypical image of emo: dyed, straight, black hair with bangs, tight black clothes, religiously belting the lyrics to "I'm Not Okay" by My Chemical Romance).*
In conclusion, this album is THE 4th wave baby emo's starter album. Unlike more gatekept communities that scoff at bands that create music that blends genres, the weathered fanatic of all waves of emo will always revisit this album for a bittersweet smile.
*The debate on whether My Chemical Romance is or is not a "true" emo band is a long discussion for a different day.
