Teacher Spotlight: Ms. Gutierrez

For this spotlight, I decided to shed some light on Ms. Gutierrez, one of Mayfair’s wonderful art teachers and the AADA director (Art Academy). Ms. Gutierrez is an amazing teacher to have. Despite only being her student since the beginning of this year, I can say wholeheartedly that she cares deeply for every single one of her students, and I find that admirable. If you were to ask any member of Art Academy, Pre-Art Academy, or anyone who has met her, I can almost guarantee that they would have nothing but nice things to say about Ms. Gutierrez. I’ve gotten the opportunity to ask Ms. Gutierrez some questions about herself and her experiences both inside and outside of Mayfair.

Q: What did you do before becoming a teacher?

A: “In high school, I always loved the arts, but I also had a passion for the medical profession because my mom worked as a nursing assistant. So, I thought that I wanted to be a nurse, and that’s why I went to a specific university to major in nursing. But my journey changed into becoming an art major. In my senior year, I started teaching classes once a week at a homeschool, and that’s where I fell in love with teaching art, and I decided to become an art teacher.”

Q: What kind of activities do you enjoy doing outside of school?

A: “I love dancing, karaoke, and the outdoors. I don’t get to do it as much as I would like, but I enjoy camping, biking, and kayaking, when I have the time.”

Q: What made you want to become an art teacher and run the Art Academy?

A: “I became an art teacher back in 2005, which was 21 years ago. Mayfair was the first school I wanted to go to because they had an Art Academy. I saw myself teaching there, but I didn’t become an Art Academy teacher until last year. It was my first year taking over and becoming director, which I consider a privilege and an awesome journey - from just teaching beginners to now teaching advanced kids. I see the advanced kids as little art sponges; they just want to come in with enthusiasm and soak up everything I teach them, and that’s just been such a delight.”

Q: What opportunities would you say being a teacher has opened up for you?

A: “There have been a lot of opportunities in the community because of the skills that I learned, such as being flexible and being able to adapt really quickly. I’ve basically become a one-person community response team. In a worst-case scenario, my skills as a teacher and a natural leader are highly transferable to this field. It is similar to doing Red Cross type of work, but specifically for my city. I love that kind of work with the community.”

Q: What is your most memorable experience here at Mayfair either from this current year, or since you have become a teacher?

A: “The most memorable times are when former students come back and write me a little note, or tell me how I made a difference in their lives. It’s always really nice. For example, today I’m going to have dinner with one of my former students. She’s likely in her 20s now, so it’s wonderful to connect with them years later to hear what they’re up to. In terms of school events, doing the art show is memorable.”

Q: What goals do you have for this school year?

A: “As I mentioned, we are getting ready for the art show. Basically, we are just continuing the legacy of the Art Academy, because the Art Academy has been in existence for about 30 years. We are just carrying the torch, and doing something new, but at the same time, continuing the tradition. So, we have an art show coming up, and we have a bunch of opportunities, like an art contest with the community and more.”

Q: Are there any specific events that you’re most excited for?

A: “This is probably the third time I’ve said it, but the art show! I’m really excited about the art show, but the doodle booths have also been really fun. It’s great to see the kids drawing and coming back to draw more. We had one for back-to-school night, and we’re going to have a few more night events like the Tree Lighting, Halloween, and Hispanic Heritage celebrations. Maybe we’ll be contracted by the Mandarin/Chinese club again. They had us do doodle booths last year, so that’s exciting. I want to suggest to the clubs that we redo our doodle booths because they’re falling apart. We should make them out of plywood to make them more stronger so we can continue that fundraiser.”

I’d like to thank Ms. Gutierrez for taking the time to sit down and answer these questions. I learned a lot about her - things I never thought about or knew - and now we all get to know them too. I know that the Art Academy is going to be an amazing experience for anyone who gets involved, especially because we have such an amazing director in charge who potentially changes the lives of her students every class.

Image Courtesy of Ms. Gutierrez.