Aug. 14, 2025
When Students Become Teachers
What happens when a journalism major unexpectedly finds herself in the classroom? Julie Ortiz's teaching journey proves that sometimes the most rewarding careers find us rather than the other way around. Speaking from the ASCD-ISTE conference in San Antonio, Julie shares how education "wasn't even in my top ten" career choices before becoming her passionate profession for over two decades.
Website: spotlight4success.com
00:00 - Introduction to Julie Ortiz
01:38 - Becoming a Teacher Unexpectedly
03:09 - Special Classroom Moments
04:27 - Final Thoughts on Education
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Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book Company.
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I am Devin Pintosi, your host.
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We are here at the ASCD-ISTE conference in wonderful San Antonio, texas, and we are so excited to be here with Julie Ortiz, to be here with Julie Ortiz.
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Julie Ortiz comes to us from St John Birchman School in the San Antonio Archdiocese.
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Thank you so much, julie, for joining us today.
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Hi, I'm excited to be here with you.
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Yes, julie, tell me a bit about your journey.
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Here you are at the biggest conference I think K-12 in the United States, and it's right here in your backyard, yes, excited.
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So tell me what brings you here.
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I think K-12 in the United States, and it's right here in your backyard, yes, excited.
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So tell me what brings you here.
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The whole idea of having the ability to see and find new ways of implementing great curriculum, not only in the book form, but also now in the technology of AI.
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Wow, which is exciting.
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Yes, coming from you know the early 90 graduates of colleges, and trying to not feel the skittishness of implementing new technology in the classroom.
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And, being an older, you're yourself.
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You're trying to see how to bring that technology into your classroom.
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Absolutely.
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So I'm also in the other sphere of sitting down and also learning as well as my students.
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So it's great.
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That is wonderful.
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Julie, Can you tell me a bit about your journey, Like how did you decide to become a teacher?
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Well, to become a teacher.
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It wasn't my number one or even my top ten.
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It was education found me, and I was a journalism major.
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That's what I was wanting to do for the longest time.
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And then I decided before Instagram and now Facebook and X and all this you needed to know someone in the business and I wanted to make sure I got that and paid my rent.
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So I went to my counselor and I said what can I do with this?
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And she's like education and I'm like no.
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But then I prayed over it and I've been doing it over for 20 years and I'm very, very excited and proud to be a teacher.
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That's awesome.
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Thank you for watching Spotlight for Success.
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I am Devin Pintosi, chief Operating Officer of American Book Company.
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We are located here in our headquarters in Woodstock, georgia.
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All of our materials are printed in USA In grades K-12, in mathematics, ela, science and social studies.
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These materials are all designed to help students achieve higher scores on their state-specific high-stakes assessments.
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We guarantee score improvement.
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You can get free samples of our materials either in print or in electronic formats at abck12.com.
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We look forward to hearing from you.
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And do you have any special moments?
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You'd like to share something that's happened in the classroom?
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You're like wow, this is why I got into teaching.
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Yes, when you just asked that question, it just flew me back to the time that when students find out that I'm going to be their teacher, they're like you know, listen, I'm not that great at writing or reading.
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And I'm like, no, you are and you will, and you're going to do it, I'm going to hold your hand.
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And when they come through and we do hands-on collaborations and they find out, you know I am good at this and then when they come and graduate from our eighth grade class and even high school, even college, and they come back with enthusiasm to enter the school and your classroom, it is great feeling that you opened up that atmosphere for them.
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That is awesome.
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And so it makes me cry because they're older and I'm getting older.
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Oh yeah, but you're always learning.
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Yes, it never stops, from the time you're a child until now and now, with the technology and integration and everything.
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And sometimes I have to call them or text them.
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Hey, can you help me with my phone or how can I get on this computer?
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Yes.
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And it's wonderful that they're teaching me and I'm teaching them and we're learning.
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It's a journey that's awesome.
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Is there anything you'd like to share with the ISTE and ASCD community?
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Thank you very much for offering this.
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We are super excited to learn about all the textbooks and also the material online.
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It is much needed, no matter if you're Texas or from Ohio.
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Thank you for doing that, because this world is ever-changing.
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It sure is.
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It's changing.
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So fast.
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Yes, so fast, absolutely.
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Well, thank you so much.
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This is Julie Ortiz from St John Bertram School in San Antonio, Texas, the Archdiocese.
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Thank you so much for joining us today.
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Thank you very much for this opportunity.
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