Written by: TFVstaff • May 14, 2026• In the Community

The Little Moments That Matter Most

By Ivette Jimenez

Hello! My name is Ivette Jimenez, and I am proud to serve as the Campus Secretary and a member of the Administration Team at our Montessori school. My journey in education began early—at just 5 years old, I was already “teaching” my grandfather English in our living room. By the age of 14, I was tutoring a neighborhood child who was struggling in school. These experiences laid the foundation for a lifelong passion for education.

I officially entered the field at 18 years old and eventually became the lead teacher of my own preschool class. This year, I am filled with pride as I watch some of my former students graduate from college—a full-circle moment that reaffirms the impact of early childhood education.

For the past four years, I’ve taken on a different role as part of the administration team. While it’s a change from being in the classroom every day, this position has given me the opportunity to build deeper, more personal connections with students across all age groups. I love greeting them in the mornings, hearing their stories about weekends at Disney, family cruises, or how their dog snuggled in bed with them. These little moments are the heart of what I do.

I also make it a point to learn greetings in my students’ native languages. One student in particular—a quiet French-speaking child—has not responded to my morning “Bonjour, ça va bien?” for over a year and a half. But just this week, while she was climbing on the play castle, I greeted her again, and to my surprise, she looked at me and said, “Bonjour!” It was a small moment, but to me, it was everything. I even asked her, “Quel âge as-tu?” and she proudly showed me three fingers.

It’s these small steps, these breakthroughs, that make all the difference. Even after years in education, those tiny victories still warm my heart.

(Visited 8 times, 1 visits today)