[AMBIENT SOUND: students in a classroom repeat the following affirmation, "I am capable of learning math. I can work through challenging problems. Mistakes are part of the learning process, and it's okay to make them. With practice, persistence and support, I can improve."]
SAGHEY BARCENAS, STUDENT REPORTER:
This is the sound of a classroom breaking a wall of doubt. For many of us, the hardest part of college isn't a subject. It's the pressure of the unknown. But behind every student working toward graduation, there is often a voice that refuses to let them fail. A mentor who saw potential in us. I'm Saghey Barcenas from Siendo Primero, and we'll hear from someone who believes that our potential is more than any complicated equation.
ILA PETERSON, ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS:
My name is Ila Peterson. I am the current director of faculty development and a professor of mathematics.
BARCENAS:
She knows that for many, the hardest part of college is the doubt they carry about reaching the finish line.
PETERSON:
I think that there are many students that come into my classes thinking they can't do math, and it's interesting because I watch my students do math successfully when they don't think they are, and they're doing fine.
I think it's important for students to be able to say kind things to themselves and recognize that they are capable. Because if nobody else in the world believes in you, you should always believe in yourself. It increases your odds you're going to be able to face the challenges of life when you know that you can do it. Because I think every single person who walks through my door can. They just need to believe it.
BARCENAS:
To Professor Peterson, no variable is too complex and no obstacle is a dead end. Instead, she provides the tools for every student to unlock their full potential.
PETERSON:
If a student doesn't feel like they're in a safe environment where they can be themselves and they feel respected and believed in, I don't think that they can perform to the best of their abilities. So I like to try to do things that honor my students in small ways.
Like I try to do translations on my tests and quizzes into the Spanish language so that they have the opportunity. Like if one word just doesn't make sense, they're like, 'Oh no, flip it over. It's okay.' And I bring candy to help lighten the mood on test days. And building the words of confidence and the daily affirmations is mostly just like you really do need to talk kindly to yourself because we deserve it. You all deserve it. So it's just my way of trying to make my students feel like they belong in this space because they do.
BARCENAS:
The work of a great mentor goes beyond the classroom. Now they stand by your side to ensure we become the version of ourselves, ready to conquer any challenge.
PETERSON:
One of the most powerful things that I walked away from my college experience with was a deeper awareness of myself. I learned my study styles, and I learned that I didn't like having to do an assignment overnight, so I learned how to pace myself back a few days, how I responded to stress, and I figured out how to manage that, how to respond to disappointment and how I could build myself back up.
So that would be what I hope that any student walks away from their college with — is not only the knowledge that you obtain in all of your studies, but a deeper awareness of yourself, your strengths, your weaknesses, how you can build yourself up to succeed, how to face disappointments and challenges, and what works best for you.
BARCENAS:
Failure is just a part of the process, and graduation is proof that we learn how to stand back up. To every student who is tired or who is just a few steps away from holding that diploma, listen to this:
PETERSON:
You are all more capable than you even realize, so just believe in yourselves.
BARCENAS:
To our professors and mentors who help us until we cross that stage, thank you for believing in us until we could believe in ourselves. From Siendo Primero. I'm Saghey Barcenas.
[AMBIENT SOUND: Ila Peterson leads her class in affirmations, and conclude, "With practice, persistence and support, I can improve. I want you guys to believe that with every fiber of your being.']
