The pencils and papers were out and students were busy at work in a Larkspur Elementary second-grade class. The students were all wearing bows and ties, something teacher Hugo Ibarra started implementing on Tuesdays in his classroom about four years ago.
“It makes them feel important and like they are part of something. Here at Larkspur, that’s one of our goals as teachers is to inspire the kids and help them achieve their full potential. I think by doing something like this, I think it’s a jumpstart for them,” Ibarra said.
The kids go to class dressed to impress once a week.
Students like 8-year-old Jorge Bugarin enjoy looking the part for school.
“When I grow up, I am going to wear these clothes and be a brain surgeon,” the second-grader said.
Mr. Ibarra said he loves how the students are enthusiastic about wearing the ties and bows.
“I’m just happy that they want to do this; it’s not because I’m telling them to do it or begging them to do it. This is something that they are motivated to do; they want to wear a tie with me and want to feel important,” Ibarra said.
He hopes this will help prepare students for the future….
“When they are going to job interviews and how to dress when they are wanting to do something in the future career wise,” he explained.
Mr. Ibarra is a dedicated educator and goes the extra mile for his students.
“If they don’t have a tie, I went ahead and purchased some so I can provide them with a tie because they do want to participate and be a part of it,” he said.
Larkspur Elementary is a campus where teachers truly care.
Jorge agrees.
“It is a great school and there’s a lot of good teachers here,” the 8-year-old student said.
Mr. Ibarra wants his students to take away a positive message from their time in his class.
“I want them to know that they have the opportunity to be anything that they can be, they just need to put in the work. Nothing they do is free and they are going to have to work to be successful. I think starting off at this age is a good motivation for them for something to look forward to in the future whether it’s a job or college or military or any of those things that will help them be successful.”
Discover the NEISD way, where our educators teach students life skills to prepare them for the future.
Ashley Speller
aspell@neisd.net
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