The walls in Jesus Gutierrez Jr.’s classroom are covered with contributions from his current and former students. Group photos of his students are scattered between poems that express some of their personal challenges – everything from being homeless to losing a parent.
Gutierrez, a UCLA alumnus, describes his classroom as “controlled chaos filled with meaningful clutter,” referring to the posters on the walls and the arrangement of desks in a circle so that students face each other.
Gutierrez was recently named Los Angeles County’s Teacher of the Year. The high school teacher graduated from UCLA in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, and completed his master’s degree in education at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies in 2006.
At Baldwin Park High School, located 35 miles east of UCLA, Gutierrez teaches English Language Development, and “guided studies,” in which students who are underperforming in some of their classes receive additional instruction to help them catch up.
Gutierrez said his own struggles as a first-generation Mexican-American growing up in Rowland Heights, where there was not a large Latino population, led him to feel ashamed of his culture – and inspired him to become an educator and reach out to students from similar backgrounds.
He remembers feeling like he had two separate identities.
“As Jesus, I spoke Spanish, listened to mariachi and ate tortillas with butter. But as Jesse, I spoke English, listened to pop (music) and ate ham sandwiches,” he said.
Gutierrez said he often felt he had to choose between the two identities, which led him to deny a part of his culture. Reflecting on this experience still hurts him, he added.
“I knew that by being a teacher I could become an agent of change that would not stand for having students experience the same indignities that I had to endure,” he said.
Gutierrez’s colleagues said they admire his passion for teaching and encouraging students who face challenges learning English.
“He truly believes in the potential these students have, regardless of their language skill. I have seen a noticeable difference since he has been here,” said Diana Chavez, head counselor at Baldwin Park High School, referring to students improving their attitudes about school and passing the California High School Exit Examination.
As a student, Gutierrez said he didn’t always take school seriously and as a result was forced to leave community college at age 19.
“After being kicked out, I worked construction jobs with my dad making $4.75 an hour, and after four months I realized it wasn’t for me,” Gutierrez said. “(I) decided to go back to school, and I started getting A’s. It was the lesson of a lifetime.”
Gutierrez said he shares this story to show students that they too are capable of attending college. He smiles as he talks about a former student who just graduated from UCLA and wants to become an ELD teacher as well.
While Gutierrez says his daily challenges as a teacher include engaging students at different linguistic and learning capabilities, he has faced very challenging times in his personal life, including battling testicular cancer in 2009, losing his home as a result and his infant daughter being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.
“I think you have to really appreciate that every day is a blessing,” Gutierrez said. He then recited a Spanish proverb: “Good things ultimately come out of difficult situations.”
Students said they appreciate Gutierrez’s willingness to share his own personal stories with them.
“(He) makes you feel like you are a part of a community,” said Amada Cipre, a 12th-grade student in Gutierrez’s class. “Other teachers come to teach, and he comes for more than that.”
Gutierrez said he tries to support his students inside and outside of the classroom. He organizes an annual trip to UCLA, attends the high school football games with the students and invites them to spend their lunchtime in his classroom on a daily basis.
“Their success is my success, and I hope to continue to provide my students with the all-around superior education that they deserve,” Gutierrez said.