When Crystal Leiva was younger, she didn’t want to be a teacher at all. Her mother and grandmother both became teachers, so becoming one herself was her last choice out of her options. At the job she had before her teaching opportunity, she had to work with kids, which ended up being the only part of that job she actually liked. That was the job that made her realize she DOES want to teach, so she went and got her teaching degree.
Mrs. Leiva earned her Bachelor of Science and Family Consumer Science degrees at the University of Central Arkansas. In comparison to other teachers, she didn’t think getting her degree was hard.
After getting her degree, she applied for a teaching job at a school. The timing was coincidental since this happened right after Hurricane Katrina, meaning there was quite a large teacher shortage. Because the opportunity was so perfect for her, Mrs. Leiva stepped up to become a teacher.
By now, Mrs. Leiva has taught many classes, including high school English and special education. All of her classes are considered her favorites because she can incorporate all of her practical knowledge into one thing: the students. Her favorite part of her job is the students because she thinks it’s interesting to see their individual talents and be able to develop them further. For students in Mrs. Leiva’s class, she advises them to do their work on time, and then they can have fun.
Mrs. Leiva’s favorite quote to use is, “Do what brings you joy,” because you’ll thank yourself in the long run if you do.
