My name is Juana Arias-Dominguez, and I have been teaching for 14 years. I grew up in the Bronx and the Dominican Republic. I came to Union City as a freshman and have stayed in Union City since then. I graduated from Emerson and went on to Saint Peter's University. I have been teaching Advanced Placement Literature and Culture for ten years at Union City High School (formerly Emerson High School). Teaching and learning are my passion. My mission in class is not only to nurture the love of learning, but also to educate students that learning is an ongoing process. My purpose is to instill in children acceptance among diverse countries using culture as a means of unity. In addition to the AP courses instructed, I teach Spanish for Native Speakers Levels 1, 2, 3 and Honors and have also taught Spanish 1-4 for non-native speakers. My approach to teaching is to get to know the students first, learn their strengths and weaknesses and then plan lessons that are relevant and useful. This type of differentiated instruction is an approach that my students enjoy. Another critical approach that I commonly use is Kagan cooperative learning structures in which students learn from their peers under my guidance. I am extremely proud of the success of my AP Spanish Literature students, whose performance have exceeded an average of 4.28 in 2016. Finally, one of the most important aspects of teaching is developing the concept of confidence in students so that they can try and be successful in class.

As part of my professional studies, I have a bachelor's degree from Saint Peter's College, now St. Peter's University, which I obtained in 2002. Also, I have two Master's Degrees, one from the Universidad de Granada in 2007 in Teaching Spanish Language and Culture and one from the University of Scranton, in Educational Leadership and Administration 2012. Although I am very proud of my achievements, I have always look for ways to grow. Therefore, I am seeking to enroll in a Doctoral program shortly. For the past three summers, I have worked with CIEE, Center for International Exchange, as a Program Leader. In this incredible immersion program for teenagers, I work on hands on visiting historical sites, participating in cultural activities and ensuring the safety and security of the participants. The learning experiences that I have had in the colleges I have attended and the professional exchanges I have had, have molded me to become a teacher that cares about student success deeply, especially that of minorities.