Alejandra Corona Ortega

2025 Yale & Slavery Teachers Institute Cohort Member

My name is Alejandra Corona Ortega. I am the Lead Guide of an Upper Elementary Classroom at Elm City Montessori School. I have 4th, 5th, and 6th-grade students in my classroom! I have been an educator for over 5 years! As a Montessori Guide, I am in charge of exposing my children to the entire Universe. Montessori takes this mission seriously, and we attempt to challenge every child while nurturing their interests at the same time. The child in the elementary classroom seeks to learn about their own country and their own history while connecting to their community. Unfortunately, adults often do not trust children with learning history, and in an attempt to protect them, we end up erasing important stories and banishing children's curiosity from the classroom. I hope this two-week experience will allow me to learn more about the history of my community in New Haven and New England at large and equip me with tools to bring new experiences, questions, and wonderings to my students.