Celebrating excellent scholars: Tamara Gonzales

In our ongoing work to develop a skilled workforce in Dallas County that can command living wages, we want to celebrate the educators and school leaders who are instrumental in ensuring we reach our goal.

Tamara Gonzales is a senior at Dallas College earning a bachelor’s in Child Development/Early Childhood Education and is also a resident/resource teacher in pre-K three and four in Dallas and Duncanville ISDs through partnership with the Childcare Group. She is a sterling example of how dual credit courses and residency partnerships with community colleges can provide future educators with the experience and flexibility they need to become full-time teachers.  

Tell us about yourself and your family.

I am from Dallas, Texas, born and raised. My parents came to the United States to give me and my three sisters better opportunities, especially in education. It was a great decision.

My parents’ education journey was difficult as they grew up in a small town in Mexico called El Potrero Nuevo Leon. They had to wear specific uniforms and walk to school, which got expensive for a family with 12 kids.  My grandpa owned farms. They always had cattle and crops, but it was difficult financially for my mom to attend school. But my grandpa always wanted the best for his family, and he would find a way. However, on my dad's side it was more about "being a man" It was best for them to go find a job and not worry about any education: it was more important to earn money for the family.

What were the feelings and beliefs in your family about education?

My parents always emphasized that education was the key to a successful future. They firmly believed that attending school was the only way to truly be successful, and they saw teachers as essential in shaping the future. Despite the challenges of this career, I’ve always admired the impact teachers have on their students' lives, and that only strengthened my desire to pursue this career.

Who was your favorite teacher?

Her name was Miss Ibarra. She was my kindergarten teacher and always pushed me to be better. I was a bit shy and thought to myself “What if I'm wrong? What if they laugh at me and judge me?” She always helped me out of my comfort zone. She would say: “You got this. Never give up. Right or wrong, just speak what you have to say.”

And now I see myself and think “I want to be that teacher.” I want my students to say “I remember Ms. Gonzales! Thanks to her, I am where I am now.”

How did the pandemic affect your education journey?

I graduated from Kathlyn Joy Gilliam high school in 2020. It's a collegiate academy where they offered early college dual credit classes. I only needed a couple more credits to graduate with my high school degree and my associate. For the last four months of high school, everything was online, but for many of the dual credit courses, they had to cancel them altogether.

I lost a lot of motivation and questioned whether I wanted to continue school or pursue my dream since I would have been halfway to earning my bachelor's but now had to restart some of those courses. However, deep down I knew that pushing forward was the only way to achieve my goals. I decided to attend college and earn my associate degree, which felt like it made up for missing my high school graduation. Now as I work towards my bachelor's degree, I look forward to walking the stage for the second time and finally fulfilling my dream of becoming a teacher.

How has the Childcare Group partnership helped your journey?

Childcare Group offers care programs to families for children ages birth to 5 years. They provide everything for the children, which helps districts who may not have enough additional funding for school supplies, snacks, before and after-school programs, and other things families in the community need. Ensuring that your child is ready for school.  

I've always been with either pre-K three or pre-K four, however, this childcare group partnership has allowed me to be on different campuses, teachers, and age groups in Dallas ISD and Duncanville ISD.

Tell us about a day in the life of someone balancing student teaching and college.

A typical day starts with reviewing lesson plans and preparing the day’s materials. Since I'm not still a lead teacher, I assist with morning routines and lead small group instruction. Sometimes they do let me take on full class instruction, which helps me to get more practice whenever I do become a teacher and have my own group. Throughout the day I monitor student engagement, provide support, and reflect on my teaching. After dismissal, I debrief with my mentor teacher and prepare lesson plans for the next day.

Now that I'm a senior at Dallas College, I appreciate the flexibility of online courses.  I'm able to have a full-time job, come home, eat a meal, and then I get connected to my classes.  

What’s the best advice you’ve gotten as a teacher?

One of my favorite quotes is, “students who are loved at home come to school to learn, and students who aren't come to school to be loved.” It's important to always be patient, nurturing, and compassionate, cherishing every moment with these young, bright minds. Focus on progress and not perfection.

We don't always know what our kids are experiencing at home, so I try to put myself in their shoes. I have those days just like them where I'm done and don't want to do anything, so I understand. I try to put myself in their shoes because I might actually be mentoring another future teacher.  

What do you want to see ten years from now?

I’ve grown both personally and professionally, taking on leadership roles to support and mentor new teachers. I also hope that some of my students will look back and remember me as a teacher who believed in them, helping them realize their full potential.  

For the education system, I would like to see teachers granted more planning time, strategic compensation, and additional support so they don't feel overwhelmed by the many tasks and responsibilities placed on them beyond lesson planning.  

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