For some teachers, the first school they work at becomes their forever home, spending years with the faculty and building up pride for what they do. However, for other instructors it takes time to find a place that feels right. In the case of new English teacher Ms. Linares, she decided to spend her 26th year teaching at Coral Gables Senior High.

Although almost three decades spent teaching may seem like a while, Linares’ love for assisting students who struggle academically is what drives her passion for her job.

Born and raised in Miami, what led Linares to pursue a career in education was the extensive list of past teachers that molded her learning experience. These instructors made her excited to learn and engaged her in ways she had never before thought possible. Seeing the impact a teacher could have on a student is what made Linares sure that she wanted to make others feel the same way.

“I always loved helping people so when I thought about what to study in college, it was clear that I had to be a teacher,” Ms. Linares said.

From there, her career choice was already set as Linares ended up attending the University of South Florida for a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and then Florida International University for her Master’s in Educational Leadership. Once graduated, she went on to teach at Kinloch Park Middle, Ponce De Leon Middle, South Miami K-8 Center and Glades Middle.

One of the most gratifying aspects of Ms. Linares’ job for her is seeing progress being made with her students as she prepares them for the next level in English. Teaching freshmen intensive reading, Linares strives to make the most out of her first year at Gables by making connections and helping her students grow both academically and as individuals.

“The best part about my job is being able to make a difference in my students’ lives every day. I believe that every student can succeed in getting a high school diploma and to become a productive adult,” Ms. Linares said.

Although Linares has seemed to thrive in the new environment thus far, her first year at Gables did not come without challenges. Ms. Linares did not have the materials needed to begin teaching and along with most of the school, faced issues concerning internet connectivity.

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A problem solver, the experienced teacher was able to resolve these issues as she resorted to bringing printed materials and developing new lessons to better engage her students until the problems were fixed.

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Linares spends her free time with friends and family. Although she hopes to remain at Gables until she retires, her future plans include becoming her family’s travel agent as she would like to travel across the United States with them and visit all of the country’s famous landmarks.

Ms. Linares welcomes her first official year at Gables with open arms as she strives to maintain the positive classroom atmosphere that keeps students enthusiastic to learn. As she looks onto this new chapter in her life, Ms. Linares hopes to make the most of her time as a Cavalier.