Patricia Aguila-Castellanos has been a Spanish and speech teacher at Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond since 2003 who takes charge and always leaves a tremendous impact on the students she has had in her classroom. She works on combining culture and life lessons into her teachings because she wants her students to succeed in life and be the best they can be.
“I want the next generation to have a pathway to happiness,” Aguila-Castellanos said. “All of my energy and efforts as an instructor and as a role model go towards my students and their livelihoods.”
Aguila-Castellanos stated that she learned and spoke Spanish growing up, so teaching it to others came naturally. She further explained she had a variety of teachers in her youth that instilled into her the idea that she could do whatever she wanted if she put her mind to it. Her instructors' guidance led to her being a cadet Spanish teacher at East Chicago Central High School, which eventually laid the groundwork for her to become a teacher years later.
Aguila-Castellanos explained that she originally wanted to go into advertising, and prior to joining Bishop Noll, she worked at the McCormick Place in Chicago. However, sometime later she decided she wanted to pursue something that had more of a purpose. She saw a job posting at Bishop Noll for a teaching position and figured, “Why not?” Sometime later, she heard back, had an interview, and was hired immediately.
“I measured the pros and cons on what I wanted to do with my life, and ultimately I took the Bishop Noll route,” Aguila-Castellanos said. “I was nervous that first day teaching at that high school, but I knew that’s where I wanted to be.”
Aguila-Castellanos went into detail about her teaching style. She doesn’t just want to teach students the curriculum, but she also wants to give them the tools to learn more both inside and outside of the classroom. She strives to instill into them the same ideas that her teachers did all those years ago: that they can re-invent themselves in any way they want to and be something great.
“I want to help them find their voice and help them learn how to use it,” Aguila-Castellanos explained. “When I was a student, the minority teachers I had told us to find ourselves and be proud of our cultures, which had a profound impact on the way I teach today.”
Bishop Noll is an extremely diverse school with people from all walks of life, which strengthens the lessons Aguila-Castellanos teaches her students.
“Culture plays a large part in my teaching through the long-lasting life lessons it teaches our students, such as open-mindedness and self-respect,” Aguila-Castellanos said. “Each culture has its own beliefs, so I make sure my lessons can be applied to anyone and helps ensure that students realize how important culture really is.”
Aguila-Castellanos explained that one of the greatest lessons she has learned as a teacher is adaptability.
“Over the years, I’ve learned to not be set in my ways and embraced flexibility as an instructor,” Aguila-Castellanos explained. “Students have a lot of different learning styles. I take it day-by-day and ensure that no student is being left behind.”
The passion Aguila-Castellanos has for her students keeps her going and continues to fuel her determination to leave a lasting impression on them.
“When I see my past students years later being successful and happy, it heavily resonates with me,” Aguila-Castellanos explained. “As an instructor, seeing the young people I taught achieve so many great accomplishments makes me so emotional. I’m grateful for the journey I’ve been on, the students I’ve interacted with, and the memories I’ve made.”