This month’s Featured Teacher comes from our location on South Austin location, Ms. Angela Barajas, a fabulous Excel teacher.
It all began 20 years ago in 1993, when Ms. Angela passed an open construction lot with a huge sign above it that read “Coming Soon: Country Home Learning Center!” She immediately thought to herself that, being new to the Austin area, this might be a great place for her first child to become comfortable in a school environment before beginning elementary school. Having worked in the childcare field in New York, she also saw an opportunity to begin her career in a new city. That was the day that started her longtime career at Country Home Learning Center.
Being born in Columbia and growing up in New York, Ms. Angela has a unique background. After getting married, her husband moved her from New York to Austin, TX where he could finish school. A mother of one at the time, she found her niche at Country Home. Being at a place where she could be near her son, and do what she loved at the same time was a win/win for Ms. Angela. Still today the love she has for her job has been permeated into her life, her family’s, and lives of hundreds of other children.
The Director at our South Austin location, Ms. Shanon Martinez, explains that she chose Ms. Angela as this month’s Featured Teacher for a variety of reasons. For one thing, her personality with the children shines every day, and Ms. Shanon describes her as a “great employee, passionate, and very patient.” Not only has Ms. Shanon been Ms. Angela’s director, but she also worked with her as a co-teacher, and Ms. Shanon even had both of her sons enrolled in Ms. Angela’s class. It is obvious that their connection runs deeper than the typical working relationship – they are family.
Ms. Angela’s favorite thing about working at Country Home is the children. Her dedication has lead her to teaching a variety of ages, and she seems to keep progressing forward with the age groups that she teaches. She started off as a 2-year-old teacher, and then progressed to the 3’s, and then to the 4’s, and finally to the Excel class where she is now. She explains that “you work so hard with them, and when they get it, it is so exciting!” She loves viewing every child’s developments, and she exclaims that there is “so much you can teach them, and once they grasp a concept, you want to teach them more!” Her enthusiasm about the children is contagious! It is no wonder that she has excelled so far at Country Home.
When she is not at Country Home, Ms. Angela loves spending time with her two children and her husband. Not only is she a devoted mother, but she also loves to paint and make wine in her spare time. It is no secret that Ms. Angela is an extremely talented woman, and we are lucky to be known as her “second home,” here at Country Home Learning Center.
