Hello everyone, my name is Maricela Milpas. I was born in Mexico City, but I've been living in California since I was nine years old. I attended a private school in Mexico City, Instituto Cultural Derechos Humanos, from preschool until half way through my fifth grade. Since I was still in fifth grade when my mom decided to move to the U.S, I was lucky enough to be able and finish my school year at Oak Hill Elementary School in Escondido, CA. From there I was enrolled at Hidden Valley Middle School (6th-8th grade) then off to Orange Glen High School (9th-12th grade), where I discovered my love for Spanish Literature during my sophomore year. Soon after graduating high school in 2006 I became a freshman at Cal State San Marcos that same year during the Fall semester. I entered CSUSM with dreams of becoming a teacher and majoring in Spanish. This semester will finally be my last semester as an undergraduate and I will then hopefully be admitted into the teaching program Fall 2012. I am still not sure whether I want to teach elementary or high school. Throughout my teaching career I would also like work with ELD students, since I was actually placed in ELD classes from 6th-8th grade, I developed a lot of respect and admiration towards the teachers that helped me be where I am today and my goal is to one day create that same feeling in many of my students.
When it comes to technology, I would have to say that technology and I are well acquainted but I wouldn't consider us friends. When we meet our encounter is civil but we are not as close as I would like or as I should be given that today a lot deals with technology. Our first class session was the first time that I had ever worked with a Mac. The closest I come to dealing with technology is my IPhone and my laptop. I find them both very easy to use. I also own a Tom-Tom but up until today I still find that thing very hard to use and I still get lost everywhere I go, it has since been in the trunk of my car. I think of myself as a fast learner and aside from being very impatient and dislike "slow" computers my experiences with computers overall have been positive.
Having read the CSUSM/COE Mission Statement for the first time I think it's very brief but yet really highlights the key points of what it means to be part of the College of Education. After reading this I do believe my decision to apply at CSUSM was based on what the mission states to "prepare thoughtful educators and advancing professional practices". It was the good reputation of the teaching program that made me want to attend this university in the first place which is pretty much what is written on the mission statement.
