Denise Terrazas joined Teach For America to help improve the educational outcomes in her home state of New Mexico.

Q & A

What led you to apply to Teach For America?

I heard about Teach For America from a student in my graduate program who applied and got in. I looked it up and was immediately inspired by the mission. Though my mom taught in Mexico, I never considered it for myself. Teach For America made me realize how important education is and the role education had in shaping my life. I realized I wanted to be a part of that for others.

What would you consider your biggest success as a teacher?

Building relationships with students, families, and fellow teachers. I am most proud of helping students find their voice and developing the courage to show who they are. I will never forget when one of my students, Robert, came out of his shell by going in front of the class to spell out a word in song. He cried and refused to participate the first time I asked the class to do that. By the end of the year, he was confidently going up and excited to hear his classmates cheer him on. I am so proud of forming a happy, safe, and comfortable environment for students, showing them I cared for them and their wellbeing above all else.  



What are the major lessons you learned during the corps?  

My biggest lesson is to be okay with failure. My first year as a teacher was challenging because I tried too hard to ensure I would have a perfect lesson plan instead of taking risks and learning from my mistakes. Another lesson I learned was the importance of building relationships with people to accomplish a common goal.