Having been in the classroom for more than a decade, Dora Saldamando knows that there is more to her job than teaching multiplication facts, social studies lessons and how to conduct science experiments.
The Pueblo Gardens fourth-grade teacher is creating leaders for the future, and she views each lesson as an opportunity to work toward that.
Her mission is important, especially since her students live in a challenging neighborhood, said Marco Ramirez, principal of Pueblo Gardens PreK-8 School, 2210 E. 33rd St.
"We live in an area with Bloods and Crips and shootings and kids who are trying to be recruited," Ramirez said. "We're the safety zone, and Dora has never lost sense that her service to our community and the kids is of paramount importance."
Saldamando's commitment has paid off - the student achievement data prove it - and the visits from her former students with college degrees in hand back it up.
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Because of her efforts, Saldamando has been named one of three Rodel Exemplary Teachers in the Tucson area. They were selected for their outstanding student achievement in high-poverty schools. The secret to success, Saldamando said, is taking the time to get to know her students and assessing their emotional and academic needs.
She likes her classroom to be centered on the kids and often finds herself in the back of the room.
"My role as a teacher is to introduce the concept and the information - to guide them to the focus or the objective of the lesson," Saldamando said. "But then I step back and I let them have conversations, and it's so exciting to see them in action."
Contact reporter Alexis Huicochea at ahuicochea@azstarnet.com or 573-4175.
