My EPI Journey by Betty Quintero

Forced landing

bettygraciela — 2025-05-25 19:25:59 UTC

November 2024
While accompanying my youngest son to a job fair at Padrón Campus, I came across a booth from the College of Education promoting a program to certify foreign professionals as teachers in the Miami-Dade County Schools system. After eight years in Miami, rebuilding our lives after fleeing the Venezuelan dictatorship, the opportunity resonated deeply. Teaching had always been a quiet calling, rooted in childhood play, high school tutoring, and informal guidance during university. Yet I had never pursued it, disheartened by the collapse of education in my home country.

December 2024
An invitation to a program info session sparked curiosity and cautious hope. Though brief and somewhat vague, the session felt inspiring and interesting. I left with questions—but also a sense of direction. I ended the year completing initial paperwork, driven by a renewed sense of purpose.

First steps

bettygraciela — 2025-05-25 19:37:52 UTC

January 2025
During a credential review at Padrón Campus, a timely opportunity emerged: a position at Wolfson Campus aligned with my background. I began classes and the job application process simultaneously, navigating a new academic system, in a new language, with the support of a dedicated and patient faculty and staff.

February 2025
I started working while continuing my studies. The pace was intense, but the learning process, enriched by outstanding professors and supportive classmates, was deeply rewarding.

From fast-paced learning to wild routine

bettygraciela — 2025-05-25 19:44:12 UTC

March 2025
Clinical observation hours became the most transformative part of the program—an eye-opening experience no textbook could replicate. Despite the program's demands, its structure and guidance create a path for committed, resilient students. I now walk that path, hand-in-hand with those guiding me.

April 2025
This month brought a whirlwind of emotions, long study hours, and deep fatigue. Whenever I felt I couldn’t continue, Carmen Marroquín offered reassurance, while Miss Katia and Lemuel patiently resolved my doubts. Professor Elvia reminded me of the resilience that defines Venezuelans, and Professor Miladys reaffirmed that migrants have the right to dream—and to achieve those dreams. My classmates—Gaby, Johenny, Robert, Cristina, Ana, and many others—lifted me when strength and hope faltered. This place has become much more than a college; it has transformed my life in countless ways.

First personal harvest

bettygraciela — 2025-05-25 19:51:38 UTC

May 2025
It feels as though more than five months have passed. These have been the most demanding and transformative months of my 52 years. The U.S. is undergoing changes that sometimes stir fears I thought I had left behind. Still, I’ve reclaimed a sense of hope I once abandoned. I now believe I have much to offer in the classroom through my experience, identity, and knowledge. I am ready to keep learning and give my best each day.

With the support of my classmates and the guidance of my professors, I aspire to contribute to this country’s future, offering what my own nation, due to historical circumstances, could not provide. This journey is only beginning...

Technology and me

bettygraciela — 2025-05-25 20:19:37 UTC

I was born in 1972 into a world where the internet, cell phones, computers, and artificial intelligence were unthinkable. The world has taken a quantum leap in less than 50 years, in a dizzying and irreversible way. Babies born from 2025 onwards will be the Beta Generation; this means they will be the first to grow up in a world where digital and physical technologies will be fully integrated. Furthermore, thanks to medical and technological advances, many of them will live long enough to witness the beginning of the 22nd century. I am interested in learning about new technologies and the implications of their use. I believe in their potential to close gaps and open opportunities for those who manage to integrate their use into everyday life. I believe that the use of technologies and AI can be powerful tools for moving towards progress in a sustainable way with a massive positive impact if their development is led with ethics, commitment, and responsibility. I live in a time of pivotal events, new learning experiences, and adjustments where I can't even imagine what the future will hold. The classroom, however, remains the seedbed from which the seeds of the future germinate. The makers of tomorrow still have to acquire the skills and knowledge that will shape everyone's future, and in that journey, teachers can make a difference.

My Technology class

bettygraciela — 2025-05-25 21:10:36 UTC

Sal Khan is the founder of Khan Academy, just one of the technological tools that offers a completely new era in the field of education and the integration of technologies. While it's true that we are just getting started, the educational revolution powered by artificial intelligence is irreversible. This Technology class will help give me a clearer picture of the skills and tools I need to acquire to help my students achieve their goals more efficiently.

Building for Lift-Off

bettygraciela — 2025-05-25 21:58:43 UTC

I enthusiastically embark on a journey of technological literacy applied to education. I have an extraordinary professor who transmits her knowledge with passion and patience. I want to acquire knowledge about the tools, their uses, and limitations. I want to better understand the legal frameworks being established to regulate this new and challenging field. I want to learn to distinguish where the limits are and how to act in the real-life situations I will face in the classroom. I must be careful and want to be prepared to make the most of it by integrating new technologies into my daily routine, facilitating my students' learning, and involving stakeholders in the process. I am convinced that together we can exponentially optimize the educational expectations of this new generation. Constant learning is essential and is a natural inclination for me that always amazes and moves me. I start from the basics to consolidate a solid foundation.

https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/documents/ai-report/ai-report.pdf

Ethical guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in teaching and learning for Educators

bettygraciela — 2025-05-25 22:24:47 UTC

Video about the Ethical guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in teaching and learning for Educators in the European Union. This is a flagship initiative of the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027), the guidelines support teachers and educators in the ethical use of artificial intelligence and data in the classroom.

For more information, please see:
URL: https://education.ec.europa.eu/focus-topics/digital-education/action-plan/action-6

Teaching Digital Literacy

bettygraciela — 2025-05-25 23:54:32 UTC

Guidelines for teachers and educators on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy through education and training.

For more information, please see:
URL: https://education.ec.europa.eu/focus-topics/digital-education/action-plan/action-6