When Students Become Teachers

What happens when a journalism major unexpectedly finds herself in the classroom? Julie Ortiz's teaching journey proves that sometimes the most rewarding careers find us rather than the other way around. Speaking from the ASCD-ISTE conference in San Antonio, Julie shares how education "wasn't even in my top ten" career choices before becoming her passionate profession for over two decades.

Website: spotlight4success.com 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book
Company.
I am Devin Pintosi, your host.
We are here at the ASCD-ISTEconference in wonderful San
Antonio, texas, and we are soexcited to be here with Julie
Ortiz, to be here with JulieOrtiz.

(00:28):
Julie Ortiz comes to us from StJohn Birchman School in the San
Antonio Archdiocese.
Thank you so much, julie, forjoining us today.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hi, I'm excited to be here with you.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Yes, julie, tell me a bit about your journey.
Here you are at the biggestconference I think K-12 in the
United States, and it's righthere in your backyard, yes,
excited.
So tell me what brings you here.
I think K-12 in the UnitedStates, and it's right here in
your backyard, yes, excited.
So tell me what brings you here.

Speaker 2 (00:47):
The whole idea of having the ability to see and
find new ways of implementinggreat curriculum, not only in
the book form, but also now inthe technology of AI.
Wow, which is exciting.
Yes, coming from you know theearly 90 graduates of colleges,
and trying to not feel theskittishness of implementing new

(01:12):
technology in the classroom.
And, being an older, you'reyourself.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
You're trying to see how to bring that technology
into your classroom.
Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
So I'm also in the other sphere of sitting down and
also learning as well as mystudents.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
So it's great.
That is wonderful.
Julie, Can you tell me a bitabout your journey, Like how did
you decide to become a teacher?

Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, to become a teacher.
It wasn't my number one or evenmy top ten.
It was education found me, andI was a journalism major.
That's what I was wanting to dofor the longest time.
And then I decided beforeInstagram and now Facebook and X
and all this you needed to knowsomeone in the business and I

(02:01):
wanted to make sure I got thatand paid my rent.
So I went to my counselor and Isaid what can I do with this?
And she's like education andI'm like no.
But then I prayed over it andI've been doing it over for 20
years and I'm very, very excitedand proud to be a teacher.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
That's awesome.
Thank you for watchingSpotlight for Success.
I am Devin Pintosi, chiefOperating Officer of American
Book Company.
We are located here in ourheadquarters in Woodstock,
georgia.
All of our materials areprinted in USA In grades K-12,

(02:43):
in mathematics, ela, science andsocial studies.
These materials are alldesigned to help students
achieve higher scores on theirstate-specific high-stakes
assessments.
We guarantee score improvement.
You can get free samples of ourmaterials either in print or in

(03:03):
electronic formats atabck12.com.
We look forward to hearing fromyou.
And do you have any specialmoments?
You'd like to share somethingthat's happened in the classroom
?
You're like wow, this is why Igot into teaching.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yes, when you just asked that question, it just
flew me back to the time thatwhen students find out that I'm
going to be their teacher,they're like you know, listen,
I'm not that great at writing orreading.
And I'm like, no, you are andyou will, and you're going to do
it, I'm going to hold your hand.
And when they come through andwe do hands-on collaborations

(03:38):
and they find out, you know I amgood at this and then when they
come and graduate from oureighth grade class and even high
school, even college, and theycome back with enthusiasm to
enter the school and yourclassroom, it is great feeling
that you opened up thatatmosphere for them.
That is awesome.
And so it makes me cry becausethey're older and I'm getting

(03:58):
older.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
Oh yeah, but you're always learning.
Yes, it never stops, from thetime you're a child until now
and now, with the technology andintegration and everything.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
And sometimes I have to call them or text them.
Hey, can you help me with myphone or how can I get on this
computer?

Speaker 1 (04:16):
Yes.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
And it's wonderful that they're teaching me and I'm
teaching them and we'relearning.

Speaker 1 (04:20):
It's a journey that's awesome.
Is there anything you'd like toshare with the ISTE and ASCD
community?

Speaker 2 (04:27):
Thank you very much for offering this.
We are super excited to learnabout all the textbooks and also
the material online.
It is much needed, no matter ifyou're Texas or from Ohio.
Thank you for doing that,because this world is
ever-changing.

Speaker 1 (04:42):
It sure is.
It's changing.
So fast.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yes, so fast, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
Well, thank you so much.
This is Julie Ortiz from StJohn Bertram School in San
Antonio, Texas, the Archdiocese.
Thank you so much for joiningus today.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Thank you very much for this opportunity.