Positive Students Continually Encourage Baltimore High School Teacher
Siri Llamas is a high school teacher with the Harbour School of Baltimore. Her daily duties span a broad range of responsibilities, from preparing lesson plans, teaching classes and evaluating student progress. She also serves as a mentor while maintaining a positive and productive classroom environment, participates in extracurricular activities and clubs and communicates regularly with parents/guardians about students' progress.
Llamas earned a bachelor's degree in English from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Education Leadership in teaching from Notre Dame of Maryland University. In addition, she is also a member of the Educator Advisory Board for the Lead2Feed Student Leadership Program and works collaboratively with colleagues, related service providers and parents/guardians to benefit the school's students' educational program and process.
How long have you been working in this field?
"This is my tenth year teaching. I started my first teaching job two weeks after graduating college and have always been in a lead teaching role."
What is your favorite part about your daily duties?
"My favorite part about my daily duties is seeing the difference that teaching makes in the lives of my students."
How has your education and training prepared you for your current role?
"Motivation, a sense of humor, responsibility, organization, creativity and enthusiasm have prepared me for my current role. The phenomenal colleagues I've worked with throughout the years have prepared me for my current role. The remarkable students that I've taught and continue to teach throughout my ten-year career have prepared me for my current role."
What do you do to continue your education and training?
"I've recently earned my Master of Education: Leadership in Teaching from Notre Dame of Maryland University. I am an active member of the Educator Advisory Board for the Lead2Feed Student Leadership Program that encourages middle and high school students to hone leadership skills by completing a service-learning project that solves hunger or other community needs involving a public nonprofit. I attend and present at numerous educational conferences each year. Learning is an unending process and I never want to stop learning!"
Do you have any advice for others looking to enter this field?
"Those who become teachers love to teach. Never forget whom you're teaching and why. Find a school, such as the Harbour School at Baltimore, that collaboratively and diligently works to teach, encourage, care and inspire their students each day. Participate in meaningful learning opportunities, such as the Lead2Feed Student Leadership Program, to motivate students to become leaders and to help them make a difference in this world."
Laura Catherine Hermoza has a lifelong love for writing. In addition to serving as a contributor to various media publications, she is also a published novelist of several books and works as a proofreader/editor. LC resides in Baltimore County.