Miranda Tacoronti demonstrates the power of embracing a bicultural identity
How bilingual students take advantage of their unique backgrounds in the classroom and beyond
Author: TeachDFW Team
How bilingual students take advantage of their unique backgrounds in the classroom and beyond
Author: TeachDFW Team
Miranda Tacoronti is a fifth grade dual language literacy and social studies teacher. In 2016, she was named the Fort Worth ISD Teacher of the Year.
Ms. Tacoronti makes the world a better place every day. She works with her students to be innovative and creative, and she teachers them to become self-motivated learners.
As a teacher, Ms. Tacoronti believes that it is her responsibility to mentor her students, especially the ones who need extra support. She hopes to help her students become the “best versions of themselves.”
When Ms. Tacoronti was on the path to becoming a teacher, one thing she didn’t expect to be in the job description was to be an advocate for all of her students—sometimes the only advocate. She passionately and energetically fights for her students’ education every day, and she feels “proud” and “on fire” that she is able to make a positive difference in her students’ lives.
"I didn’t know that I would be at times the only person fighting for the education and the future success of some kids."
When planning for the classroom, Ms. Tacoronti gives sincere thought to each lesson’s current and future value for her students. She teaches material in a manner that resonates with her students and allows them to continue to expand their knowledge in and out of the classroom.
Ms. Tacoronti is motivated by the growth that she sees in her students year after year.
Through her work as a literacy teacher, Miranda hopes that she instills a love of reading in every one of her students.
By encouraging her dual language students not only to tackle the challenge of reading a second language but also to love that challenge, she hopes to bring out confidence, pride and perseverance in her students.
In addition to teaching her students to love to read, Ms. Tacoronti hopes to teach her students to love their identities. As a child, Ms. Tacoronti struggled to find her identity as a biracial person until learning Spanish in the eighth grade. She hopes that, in her fifth grade classroom, her bilingual students are able to form their identity and become truly bicultural people.
Part of what Ms. Tacoronti enjoys about being a teacher is that teaching is incredibly dynamic. Every day poses new challenges and warrants creative solutions, and Ms. Tacoronti feels she is able to express herself through teaching in her classroom.
"Teaching is dynamic. You’re on stage. You’re a performer."
Ms. Tacoronti believes that her profession is incredibly impactful in shaping the future of society. For people who aspire to make a difference in the world, Ms. Tacoronti suggests considering the teaching profession.
Want to make a difference in the world like Ms. Tacoronti? We're here to help you get started:
