Maricela Burns, Ed.D.
Teacher, Writer, and Editor
My name is Maricela Burns, and I earned a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction (Educational Technology) on December 13th, 2019 from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). I completed my second Masters of Education Leadership (M. Ed.) on March 09th, 2021. I earned my first Masters of Education in Educational Technology on May 10th, 2014. In addition, I earned an e-learning certificate that provides me the ability to teach online at the university level. I was nominated to and graduated with KDP Honor Society distinction, and am an active member of this organization as of 2014. Furthermore, I received my Bachelors in Language Arts- English on May 15th, 2010, and my Associates of Language Arts (AA) on May 15th, 2006- all from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (formally The University of Texas Brownsville (UTB). I'm a native of Brownsville, Texas, but I made the decision to relocate to Dallas, TX as an employment opportunity was extended to me at that time. For the past 8 years, I have worked as the 6th-8th (sheltered) English as Second Language (ESL)/ English Language Arts & Reading (ELAR) teacher at Lady Bird Johnson Middle School (JMS), the 1st Net Zero school in the country, within Irving Independent School District. I have worked as both a 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade ELAR teacher at a charter school in a Title I school within the Region 10 District. I have had the pleasure to teach all four content subjects (ELAR, Math, Science, and Social Studies), as I am also a "highly qualified (status)" generalist teacher. I have worked as an elementary interventionist, working with programs such as I-station, and keeping up with student-tiered progress. After having completed my student teaching in 2010, I got the opportunity to work at Mattye Gentry Stell Middle School as a Dyslexia teacher aide, where I assisted students as an Intervention Specialist with their 504- Accommodated Intervention Plans (AIP's), and helped guide students in Content Mastery. I am also a US Navy veteran, having served in the military from May 2000- November 2004 during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and am a veteran of war. Most importantly, I get to inspire young minds and teach them new things every day- and for me, there is nothing more rewarding than that. My greatest passion is to help students learn through their own learning styles and to build a learning community that is safe and equitable for all.