Some people are born to teach–it’s a transcendent quality evident in their ability to masterfully teach with skill, joy and the boundless determination to see every student succeed. One of these people is our own Ruth Viera, Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School’s 4th & 5th Grade teacher. Maestra Viera is living her mission to teach at our tuition-free public charter school and we are so fortunate to have her. 

When did you know you wanted to be an educator?

Enseñaba a los niños vecinos en el patio de mi casa. En la escuela elemental, pertenecí a un Club de Futuros Maestros y apoyaba a otros estudiantes de otros grados con tutorías después de la escuela, Nunca cambie mi sueño de ser maestra. Siento que fue, es y será mi misión en esta vida; ¡EDUCAR más que enseñar!

I knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was younger when I would teach our neighbors’ children on my patio in my home. When I was in elementary school I was in a program for future teachers and I would support students in other grade levels with tutorials after school. I never changed my dream about being a teacher. I feel that it was and will forever always be my mission in this life. Educate more than teaching! 

Who was your favorite teacher and why? 

Uno de mis maestros favoritos fue Mr. Bones, mi maestro de matemáticas de 4to - 6to. Fue un maestro muy dedicado, estricto pero muy sensible y empático, al mismo tiempo. Fue muy bueno enseñando y disciplinando. Creo que mi preferencia por enseñar matemáticas viene de su gran ejemplo y paciencia para enseñarla y hacer de esta materia una de mis favoritas.

One of my favorite teachers was Mr. Bones. He taught math from 4th-6th grade. He was a dedicated teacher while also being strict and empathetic at the same time. I think my favorite subject to teach is math due to his great example of patience to teach and it has been my favorite subject since then.

How does the Arco Iris' mission and vision align with your personal values?

Como educadora, una de mis metas ha sido siempre que mis estudiantes alcancen progreso académico en todas las materias. Siendo Arco Iris una escuela de inmersión en español, es todavía más retante y recompensante, que los estudiantes usen el idioma español como medio para alcanzar logros académicos, en adición a su primer idioma, promoviendo como resultado a un estudiante bilingüe. Como amante de la enseñanza de las matemáticas, me complace mucho que un currículo sólido para enseñar esta materia sea la otra prioridad en la misión de Arcoiris, ya que pienso que el dominio de las destrezas matemáticas ayuda a los estudiantes a desarrollar y a aplicar destrezas importantes en todos los aspectos de su su vida.diaria.

Siendo parte de una comunidad escolar que abraza la multiculturalidad, mis valores personales se ven reflejados, al ser una educadora y ser humano que cree y apoya firmemente  la diversidad, equidad e inclusión dentro y fuera del ambiente escolar.

As an educator, one of my goals has always been that my students make progress across all subjects. Being that Arco Iris is a Spanish immersion school, it not only makes it more challenging, but also rewarding as students use Spanish to achieve academic goals. As a lover of math, I’m happy with the Arco Iris math curriculum because it’s solid and aligns well with math goals for students. This will help them in every aspect of their lives. 

What do you love most about your role at Arco Iris? 

Lo mas que amo de mi rol en Arco Iris, es tener la satisfacción y el orgullo de poder enseñar mi idioma nativo y disfrutar orgullosamente del progreso de mis estudiantes, usando el español. Amo también desarrollar en ellos su deseo de aprender e investigar. Otra cosa más que amo, es poder ser la maestra de "siblings" de ex estudiantes.

What I love the most about my role in Arco Iris is the satisfaction and pride to be able to show students my native language and the process of learning Spanish. I love that I can help with their interest in learning Spanish. I also love that I can be the teacher of my former students' siblings. 

What else would you like us to know about you?

Quiero que sepan, sin lugar a dudas, que enseñar sigue siendo mi pasión y mi misión, no importa todos los años de experiencia que tenga. Que disfruto profundamente cada pequeño o gran logro de mis estudiantes, ya sea académico o de conducta. Y otra cosa más, que soy amante de lo simple y sencillo de la vida, que creo que es lo que la hace maravillosa!

I want all of you to know that without a doubt that I love and still cherish my passion and my mission. It doesn’t matter the years of experience someone may have. I genuinely enjoy every small or big achievement of my students whether that is academic or behavioral, I enjoy it all. One last thing, I'm a lover of the small and basic things in life and I think that's what makes life beautiful. 

Our students are so lucky to have Ruth teach them about the beauty in life, language and learning. Thank you Maestra Viera! 

Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School is enrolling now for tuition-free Spanish immersion, Singapore Math, and caring community in a true-multicultural setting. If you are interested in joining us, check out our enrollment page for information about the process or contact us if you have any questions. 

About Arco Iris

Arco Iris Spanish Immersion is a small tuition-free public charter school providing a rich, immersive Spanish language experience and robust academics in a true multicultural setting. Centrally located off 217, between SW Portland and Tigard, we serve K-5 students in the greater Beaverton area to become bilingual and biliterate leaders of the future. Come see why we’ve earned the title Oregon’s #1 charter school. We’re enrolling for Fall 2023-24.