The Golden Trident

By Angel Gaxiola Figueroa

 In Gabriela Morales’s early years teaching at Golden High School (GHS) she realized that teaching wouldn’t be easy due to her limited English, however with the support of her colleagues Christian Polo, Teresa Waters, and Christine Blake she knew it would get easier. When Ms. Morales was sitting in a conference with her colleagues she realized her English needed improvement. She had already known that her English needed to be improved but this was the moment that made an impact on her life here in the United States.

 Morales has traveled to Greece, Japan, and Mexico. She is the Spanish 1, 3, and Heritage Teacher at Golden High School(GHS). Before transferring to Golden, she started teaching about 15 years ago at Jefferson High School. She likes traveling and went with students to Ecuador on a field trip. 

 When asked which school was her favorite, she said, “The students of Golden High School (GHS) and the staff are one of my favorite things about this school. It has more to offer than any other school I have taught in. There is more freedom to express my knowledge of my culture, and many of my students pay close attention to the topic I will teach even if it has nothing to do with school.” 

        Morales reminded herself of the memory of her colleagues’ impact on her.

 “I knew that not knowing English was going to impact my students and my life as a teacher. So I decided that I was gonna start asking questions and talking in English with my colleagues. I feel that my colleagues were beneficial and just by answering a question I asked or talking to them or saying hello to them in the hallway I knew that I mattered which made me feel not lonely anymore.”

Morales is also part of a Club called Latinx in which Hispanic and non-Hispanic students get together to form a single alliance in which love, respect, caring for others, and a sense of belonging are involved.

When you are in a meeting with Ms.Moralesor just talking with her on your off-block changes your perspective of Morales’ difference from many other teachers, Morales does this by the way that she puts her whole attention toward you when talking with her at club meetings or just talking about a problem that you have been having.

When asked what is something that she enjoys most about this school, she mentioned, “I like how students ask about my culture and experiences about my past” She also added, “I love teaching about my culture and when a students ask about my culture I will immediately stop the class and answer that question, because I know that the specific student has an interest in culture not just the class itself.”

    When asked why  she wanted to become a teacher, Morales said, “I think I just had it in me.” She added a childhood memory, “I remember sitting with my siblings on desks and playing like I was the teacher and they were the students. My brothers knew I was very bossy and I always told them to be quiet and listen when playing, I got a feeling that teaching would be the right way to go.”

When talking about Hispanic/Mexican culture, Morales was very happy, adding every detail about the specific topic that a student asked her. While Morales knew that the path to being a Spanish teacher was not going to be easy, she also knew that there was no way that she was gonna give up on her dream when it came to her family and her, so that’s exactly what she did; she never gave up, and eventually found herself in Golden High School sharing her memories through her teaching and her love for traveling.

So many people have talked with Morales if she wanted to keep teaching at Golden, and she said “ As long as I have the capability to teach what I know, I will definitely stay in this school, as long as I breathe”, she paused and started to remember all the good times that students have made her laugh.