The 25-26 school year welcomes Ms. Adriana Maldonado to Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Special Education (Special Ed/SPED) department. 

She is entering her third year of teaching after being a long-term substitute teacher at Rosemead High School. Ms. Maldonado also worked as a substitute for the Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) in the 23-24 school year. 

Ms. Maldonado attended California State University , Los Angeles, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, as well as the University of La Verne where she earned her master’s degree in Inclusive Education. 

Her teaching style follows the general curriculum with certain modifications. “It’s a little easier for me to teach one subject, kind of throughout the week, and then we kind of move on to different subjects,” she said. 

One of her main priorities is “making sure that [the students] are in a learning environment they can thrive in,” as well as helping them reach their individual goals.

Ms. Maldonado aims to make her classroom a welcoming environment for all students. Keeping her students happy day-to-day is another goal she has that many other people share. A student’s mental health can affect their performance in class, so keeping it stable helps the entire community in being more successful.

Challenges within a classroom differ for every teacher. When approaching conflicts, Ms. Maldonado considers the most important part to be staying patient and calm, since the students will feed off of the energy she puts out. Confirming that her and the classroom aides are on the same page assists in overcoming challenges fully and quickly.

Ms. Maldonado explained that the root of her career choice is her patience and willingness to help. “I myself know that I can be patient enough to work with these students, so that’s kind of why I chose them.” She also stated that her sister was also on an IEP (Individualized Education Program). “I think it’s a population that people overlook,” she said. 

Outside of teaching, Ms. Maldonado enjoys staying active with activities like walking and playing soccer. 

She also co-advises the club My Buddy and I, where general education students can meet Special Ed students and build connections with them. The importance of the club is to “integrate [the students] and keep them involved.” 

Ms. Maldonado hopes to create a welcoming classroom where her students can grow, have fun, and be included like the rest of the students on campus.