Friday, March 14, 2014

Dear parents & guardians of UCLA Community Schools students,

My name is Lauren Daus, and I will be co-teaching your children with my colleague Jose Ortiz,
with the support of Ms. Merino. Jose and I are currently in our first year in the Teacher Education Program
(TEP) at UCLA working on our teaching credential in Social Science. During the past several months, we
have been student teaching 10
th
grade World History at Augustus Hawkins High School. We are both
excited to be placed in the middle school field at UCLACS for our spring quarter! Before taking the
opportunity to teach your children, I would like to introduce more about myself and my teaching and
education philosophy.
I am a Filipina American who was born and raised in Cerritos, California. I moved to San
Francisco after I graduated high school and attended San Francisco State University to obtain my
Bachelors Degree in Asian American Studies. I am glad to be back to continue a new journey in the Los
Angeles area. During my middle school years, I found a yearning to learn more about my Filipino history
and culture, with the influence of my older cousins. I decided to find a book that reflected my identity, and
I came across America is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan. In my 10
th
grade United States History class,
my teacher assigned an oral presentation that required us to present on well-known historical figures.
She gave us a list of people to choose from, and I was hoping to recognize someone who reflected me,
but I began to feel this growing sense of exclusion. It was the first time it made me question American
schooling and a curriculum that made me feel left out. The teacher called upon my peers to share who
they were going to research, and when it was my turn, I told my teacher that I wanted to present on a
person who was not on the list. I said, Carlos Bulosan, and with a confused look on my teachers face,
she replied, Who is that? Ive never heard of him. I told her that he was a Filipino immigrant who wrote
his story about the struggles of Filipinos who came to the United States in the 1930s, in search for a
better life. With the class completely silent and my teacher still confused, she said, It doesnt seem like
he is a well-known figure, and hes not American. You need to pick someone who is, preferably from the
list I gave you. The rejection made my heart pound because it was the first time my shy self spoke up to
a teacher. America is in the Heart was the first book that taught me about my own history and sparked my
interest in education and Ethnic Studies. From then on, I was even more eager to learn about my Filipino
American history and become active in sharing the stories and experiences of my people.
The experience I have shared is one of the main reasons of why I want to be a teacher. I do not
want students to go through a similar experience where they feel left out in their education. My teaching
philosophy represents a culturally relevant curriculum in which students are able to share their personal
stories and experiences to make connections to what they are learning in class. With that said, education
should not be a one-way street. I strongly believe that students have the potential to both teach and learn
from each otherthe teacher is not the only one who holds all the knowledge. I also believe it is important
to sustain an open line of communication with parents, guardians, and community members, in order for
your children to reach the necessary levels of success. I am really looking forward to teaching and
growing with your children, and also getting to know more about you all! Please do not hesitate to contact
me if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you!


Sincerely,
Lauren Daus

Phone: (818) 528-5138
Email: lauren.daus@gmail.com