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Mrs. Z
Hello my name is Mona Zarrinkelk. I am an American- Iranian finished my high school in Boston Massachusetts. Moved to US as an immigrant in 1984. Got married to an Iranian and have two sons 32 & 26. I run a nonprofit organization for seniors, take care of the love of my life, my mother and change hats 3-4 times a day. Mother, care giver, student, president, volunteer, etc.......
My students know me as Mrs. Z. On the first day of teaching I had planned to make sure my students know how to spell and pronounce my last name. They comfortably and freely gave me the nickname of Mrs. Z. during the first week. I have kept the name, loved it and now it's a reminder of my teaching years. I started in college as a anatomy & physiology tutor. The needs of incoming students from local high schools made me committed to become a teacher. I taught at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg California for years. I left teaching went back to school to become a Ultrasound technologist worked for a private perinatal practice, then for John Muir imaging at the same practice. Following an injury that left me with loss of partial sensitivity in my right hand, and many surgeries to follow on that hand and the knee left to go back to school to continue what I had always wanted to teach! I may be ambivalent about the political and social landscape of America and the world!! What I am certain about is an ongoing influx of technology and knowledge to our worlds and above that the need to learn. The truth that people are inspired to learn to fulfill variety of desires from personal to Global change. I want to take part in that change and not letting the language gap be a burden to reach our dreams. |
Reflections on your Journey
My life journey has taught me many lessons. Life is filled with ups and downs, happiness is hidden jewel that can be mined through finding the purpose in life. Everything else becomes the extension of purposeful life. Life is also filled with surprises the art is to accept them, take a lesson and move on. In life, on the road less taken by others, is where we see inspiring sites. I remind myself & my students that being different is a positive & colorful scene we witness during our life journey. Abundance comes from accepting and offering, that is only possible through diverse pool of knowledge. This phase of my life is on the life's scenic road. Although, Google map wasn't aware of this road taken, my heart was.
My intention was to take advantage of my past experiences to go back to teaching focused on 21st century education and ELL students.
My intention was to take advantage of my past experiences to go back to teaching focused on 21st century education and ELL students.
Lasting Learning from the Innovative Learning program
The program at Touro is offering the opportunity to create a life around my life purpose "Inspire others to access their excellence" the extension of my life purpose is to "Inspire ELL students to access their excellence" by building a bridge for the language gap.