Montserrat Rodriguez ('25)

Montserrat (she/her/ella) is a Senior in Davenport studying Psychology with a certificate in Education Studies. Growing up in Santa Ana, California, Montserrat looks upon her early teachers with fondness—they instilled her with the confidence to embrace her curiosity and kindness. Montserrat carried this spirit entering Yale. “I knew that I wanted to help students self-actualize and celebrate their identities”, she said. “What better way to do this than to teach?”

However, as her first year ended, she faced moments of doubt. “Will people take me seriously? Can I support my family with this profession? What if I am not good enough to be a teacher?” As she immersed herself in Education Studies coursework, however, she felt compelled to push past these feelings of uncertainty. Montserrat points out Professor Carla Horwitz’s EDST 127, “Theory and Practice of Early Childhood Education”, as particularly transformative towards her interest in the practice of teaching. The course allowed her to observe and engage with Kindergarten students at the Calvin Hill Daycare Center. “Through these observations, I was reminded of what compelled me to pursue teaching to begin with—I love helping people understand themselves. Playing with them, learning about their personalities, having them compliment my nails and make me art; these are the moments that I cannot put a price on.”

Although Montserrat is unsure if her future will be defined by a career in full-time teaching, being an LCSW, or pursuing a Master in Educational Psychology, she hopes to utilize her patience, curiosity, and kindness to envision “a future in which our educators are not only respected but celebrated in every facet and sector”.