DESTINY J.

TEDTAOTAO
PO Box 247
Victorville, CA 92393
(909) 786-5032
destinytedtaotao@gmail.com

January 28, 2017

To Whom it May Concern,

Educating the mind without educating the heart is not education at all Aristotle.

My name is Destiny Tedtaotao and I stand out from most of your teacher candidates
because I dont want to just be a teacherI thirst for it! Providing students with an enriching
environment to thrive through quality academic experiences and character development are my
utmost priority as a teacher. Teachers must teach with a purpose, to develop the students mind
and character. When a teacher invests time developing students academically and personally,
they have impacted lives beyond the classroom.
I have been blessed to travel different paths as my passions for assisting students have
continued to emerge and amplify. My desire and yearning to advance in my career as a teacher
have manifested through my fourteen years as an educator. I have been privileged to direct and
manage two after school programs for non-profit organizations for three years, tutored for
certificated substitute for about three years, and served as a school district classified personnel as
an Instructional Aid, clerk, and campus supervisor for one year.
I currently serve K-3rd grade students. I am a first year teacher and I learn something
new every day from my colleagues, professors, and students. I definitely feel my purpose and
calling as a Special Educator. It was my profession as an Instructional Assistant for Special
Education for the Victor Valley Unified High School District at Silverado High School that
manifested my calling. This job gave me the inspiration and final calling to aspire for a teaching
career in Special Education. I had experience as a junior and senior Special Education SDC
(Special Day Class) in which I was pulled frequently to staff for one-on-one aide positions, as
well as for aides in SH (Severely Handicapped) and ED (Emotionally Disturbed) classes. I have
been privileged to work with students of various disabilities and gage the specific area I am most
interested in. I am interested in working with SDC and ED students. I feel I am able to serve
them as an instrument of God to help them strive for self-improvement, realize self-worth, and
help mold them into productive individuals in our society. I use the Christian values that dictate
my life to be a role model and example for them to follow.
Working with these students, seeing and understanding their daily academic and social
struggles have inspired me to be a high school Special Education teacher. I have worked with
K-12 th grade students and I have a strong bond and connection with high-school aged students.
I desire to teach English. I am an aid in an English class for four periods. I enjoy the
assignments, projects, discussions, and journal topics. It has always been a passion of mine to
engage students in debates while being able to allow them to express their ideas and
imagination. I want students to know that they can express their opinions without fear as they
are too inundated with the apprehension of self-expression due to peer judgment. I want to
motivate students to use the power of their differences and uniqueness to express themselves
 DESTINY J. TEDTAOTAO
PO Box 247
Victorville, CA 92393
(909) 786-5032
destinytedtaotao@gmail.com

during discussions as well as in their writing, while maintaining a respect and tolerance for
diversity.
Students often lack the ability to think outside the box and be creative. I have a sense
of duty to move forward in my career and use my influence as a teacher in the classroom to
move, inspire, and change the young individuals mind through personal development,
education, and relationship building. A student does not care how much you know, unless they
know how much you care. As an educator, that quote has always resonated with me as I have
witnessed countless moments where I have been able to earn the respect of troubled students
through using kindness over discipline. The lesson I have learned with students is that kindness
supersedes dominance. Impacting young minds is where I belong, and I will spend the rest of my
working years changing the lives of students one life at a time!
In closing, although I believe these students need teachers of patience and kindness,
they also need teachers to push them to their fullest potential, to help instill faith, self-love, a
greater purpose, and belief in themselves. I want to help them conquer small achievements
daily so that these accomplishments help them see past their own disabilities. Teaching, yes, is
a calling, and even though many are called, not many use their heart to guide them through the
difficult journeys of teaching. Nelson Mandela said, Education is the most powerful weapon
that you can use to change the world. Gandhi said, Be the change you want to see in this
world.
I soar to change the world through the power of education! Thank you so much for your
time.

With Warm Regards,

Destiny J. Tedtaotao