Deborah Martel Rogers' Blog

Recuerda Tu Por Qué Fotografía por Déborah Martel-Rogers     Todavía recuerdo mi primer año como profesora a tiempo completo. Todavía no tenía mi propio coche y caminaba a la parada de la guagua temprano por la mañana mientras llevaba mi maletín rojo, para el que había ahorrado con tanto orgullo el dinero que había ganado durante mis tutorías semanales por toda la ciudad. La ciudad donde yo trabajaba y vivía entonces, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, está en una isla, por lo que podía ver el océano, independientement desde donde mirase.       Aquel día fue mágico. Incluso tuve la impresión de que alguien estaba mirando mis zapatos de lazos rojos mientras pensaba que yo tenía que ser una profesora, sin lugar a dudas. Cuando llegué a la línea que se formó delante de la guagua, varias señoras me pidieron que pasara primero ya que ellas no tenían prisa, y yo obviamente sí. Les dí las gracias juntos antes de pagar mi billete de ida y sentarme en la última fila del fo...

Remember your Why photograph by Déborah Martel-Rogers      I still remember my first year as a full-time teacher. I did not have my own car yet and walked to the bus stop early in the morning while carrying my red briefcase, which I so proudly had saved for with the money I had made during my weekly tutoring sessions all over the city. The city where I worked and lived back then, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is on an island, making me see the ocean from wherever I look.      That first day was magical. I even had the impression that everyone was looking at my shiny red-laced shoes while thinking to themselves that I was obviously a teacher. When I got to the bus line, several ladies asked me to proceed since they were not in a hurry, and I was obviously busy. I thanked them right before paying for my ticket and sitting all the way to the back.       Some young men stared at me. I ignored them. Some young ladies looked back toward whe...

 My Summer Principalship By Deborah Martel-Rogers,  Longfellow Summer Principal 2023, BCSD     This Summer, I received two Principalship offers. I asked where my leadership was most needed before making my decision. Both opportunities were such a blessing!    The Summer started for me (as the Principal) before my regular school year finished. My Program Director and I met numerous times at her office. I also participated in several training sessions with the fantastic teachers who would be my Summer Teachers only about a week later. I turned in my keys at my former school on Friday and picked up my Summer school keys the following Monday. I could feel the adrenaline running through my veins, and I could have burst out with joy and pride.    A lesson that I learned very quickly is that it does not matter how talented you are. You are as innovative as the sum of your team members. I was blessed with a beautiful team, always willing to work hard...

  Remember your Why photograph by Déborah Martel-Rogers      I still remember my first year as a full-time teacher. I did not have my own car yet and walked to the bus stop early in the morning while carrying my red briefcase, which I so proudly had saved for with the money I had made during my weekly tutoring sessions all over the city. The city where I worked and lived back then, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is on an island, making me see the ocean from wherever I look.      That first day was magical. I even had the impression that everyone was looking at my shiny red-laced shoes while thinking to themselves that I was obviously a teacher. When I got to the bus line, several ladies asked me to proceed since they were not in a hurry, and I was obviously busy. I thanked them right before paying for my ticket and sitting all the way to the back.       Some young men stared at me. I ignored them. Some young ladies looked back tow...

     Remember your Why photograph by Deborah Martel Rogers, Harris' TOSA, BCSD May, 2022      I still remember my first year as a full-time teacher. I did not have my own car yet and walked to the bus stop early in the morning while carrying my red briefcase, which I so proudly had saved for with the money I had made during my weekly tutoring sessions all over the city. The city where I worked and lived back then, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is actually on an island, and that made me see the ocean from wherever I looked.      That first day was somewhat magical. I even had the impression that everyone was looking at my shiny red laced shoes while thinking to themselves that I was obviously a teacher. When I got to the bus line, several ladies asked me to please go ahead of them, since they were not in a hurry, and I was obviously busy. I proceeded to thank them right before paying for my ticket and sitting all the way to the back....

 My Vision By Déborah Martel-Rogers, Ed. D. Abraham Lincoln Jr. High 7th/8th DELD Lead      This month of March, when the adult children in our family continue to work on their college dreams, I choose to share with you my vision as an Educational Ambassador, a vision which I first publicly shared in my Master's in Educational Administration, Ethics and Integrity class, at CSU Bakersfield, in 2017:       I want to help to create a better world, a world in which our students' heads, hearts and souls  flourish in unison, both academically and socially; a world in which there is success for every single student, regardless of socio-economic status, race, gender, national origin, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation; a world in which our students know that they are the reason of our own very existence, and that we are here to make sure that every one of them is successful because failure is not an option. 

August 31st, 2020 "In Loco Parentis" II, by Deborah Martel Rogers, Harris' TOSA Bakersfield City School District         Before the pandemic, I wrote that I was more and more aware that -as an educational leader- I had to make a conscientious decision every day to align the heart, head and soul of our collective mission, in order to ensure that ALL of our children are served with excellence.    Then, the unthinkable happened. Not that it was the first time it had, but this time our common humanity decided that it was time to empower our disempowered brothers and sisters.    Yes, I am referring to empathy and compassion, social justice and a conscientious removal of systemic racism.    I am also making reference to pondering the subtle ways in which we can alienate or inspire our students and their parents, based on our words and actions. Beauty, like blue, black and brown, begin with the same letter as Best.   ...