From Teaching Spanish Immersion to a Career in Edtech | Working at Summit K12
Learn more from Summit K12 Team Member, Denise Carey, who went from teaching Spanish Immersion to a Career in Edtech helping schools, districts, and students every day.
Learn more from Summit K12 Team Member, Denise Carey, who went from teaching Spanish Immersion to a Career in Edtech helping schools, districts, and students every day.
Every role you take in your career path allows you to learn, grow, and make an impact. Here at SummitK12, we welcome all backgrounds, experiences, and skills, including staff & teachers transitioning from K-12 education.
Naturally, going from teaching Spanish Immersion, Kindergarten, or 2nd grade to a career in edtech may feel hard to reach. Yet, many teaching skills can easily translate to new career opportunities, including roles in professional learning development, customer service, curriculum development, instructional design, marketing, and more.
Read on to learn more from Summit K12 Team member, Denise Carey, who went from teaching in a Spanish immersion program to a career in edtech, and is now making an impact, helping schools, students, and districts every day.
I had always known that I wanted to be a teacher, ever since I was a little girl. My friends would get tired of playing “school” with me! I started teaching right after I earned my multiple-subject teaching credential, along with my Bilingual authorization to teach in a dual language setting.
I started working for Redondo Beach Unified School District and became a teacher in their Child Development Center, working with grades 3-5. It was great working with different grade levels in one classroom, enriching their passion for learning. After this, I had the opportunity to move into teaching in their Spanish Immersion program.
This is where my love for multilingual learners really flourished. I love teaching in Spanish and supporting students on their journey towards bilingualism.
My parents are immigrants from Mexico, so Spanish was always spoken in our household. However, my dad and siblings embraced the English language, and we became a bilingual household, which allowed me to be exposed to both languages at an early age. I soon realized the importance, power, and pride bilingualism gives an individual.
I knew that I wanted my students to feel the same, so I decided to pursue a career in Spanish Immersion.
I was also seeking a position where I could share my language and my culture with my students. I was fortunate enough to work in a community where bilingualism was considered a superpower. I had the pleasure of teaching second and third graders during my career.
I taught second grade for 5 years and third grade for 6 years. 3rd grade was my absolute favorite to teach because of the level of rigor, independence, and passion I witnessed in my students. They were excited to learn, especially in a language that was unlike their home language. Some of my favorite memories were speaking to my students in Spanish in front of their parents, most of whom had never heard their child speak in Spanish before, because they were from an English-only household.
My students and I would be deep in conversation, and their parents would be blown away by how easily their child kept up with the conversation. Most of my students were the only Spanish speakers in their homes, and their parents were so impressed with the level of academic Spanish their child was using and understanding.
Another great memory for me was witnessing my first class graduate from high school. I got a chance to hear their Spanish skills and how they’ve improved over the course of their educational journey. It was a heartwarming experience to witness these individuals grow into multilingual learners and become their own person, ready to take on the world.
I’ve always been fascinated by the world of educational technology.
As a teacher, I was excited to discover new tools that could enhance my instruction and better support my students. Over time, my interest expanded beyond the classroom, and I became curious about opportunities where I could impact students on a broader scale—particularly multilingual learners.
I realized that EdTech could provide a unique way for me to bridge the gap between my passion for teaching and my desire to contribute to the educational growth of multilingual students beyond the walls of my own classroom.
With this in mind, I sought out a position that would allow me to be part of a dynamic and growing community, one where I could continue collaborating with educators while directly impacting students’ learning experiences.
I had friends who were already immersed in the EdTech space, and through their experiences, I gained insight into how rapidly the field was evolving and how it was reshaping education on a global scale.
At the same time, I knew I wasn’t ready to completely step away from supporting students, especially those who are in the process of learning English as a second language. I also wanted to be a part of a community that shared similar beliefs and one that would understand the benefits of embedding digital tools that would help enhance teaching and learning.
Additionally, I firmly believe that rather than avoiding or resisting technology in education, we should embrace it. By doing so, we can actively contribute to a growing community that is dedicated to supporting all students, regardless of their backgrounds and cultures.
My tip for Spanish Immersion teachers looking to transition into a career in educational technology is to seek opportunities that allow you to continue fostering your passion for educating multilingual students. There are countless pathways where you can carry forward your love of teaching and supporting language learners. It’s also important to recognize that the skills you’ve developed in the classroom transfer seamlessly into this field. I can attest to this, as I find myself drawing on the same strategies and tools from my teaching experience and applying them every day in my work.
At Summit K12, I’m part of the California Professional Development team. I provide professional development to different school sites throughout the state, helping teachers and leaders to implement Connect to Literacy at their sites.
I truly find this role at Summit K12 to be very fulfilling because I am able to connect with and support educators with their implementation of Connect to Literacy. I really enjoy working directly with partners and their stakeholders as they begin or continue their journey with Summit K12.
Being a Spanish immersion teacher deepened my understanding of language acquisition and strengthened my ability to support multilingual learners. It also allowed me to build empathy and connect with students who were learning a language that was different from their home language.
In the classroom, I incorporated a variety of teaching strategies that enhanced language development while leveraging students’ home languages to deepen their understanding of Spanish. I encouraged students to build their oracy skills through partner talks, socratic seminars, and collaborative group work.
Additionally, I embedded research-based ELD strategies throughout my lessons to further foster language growth. In my new role, I am eager to share this knowledge and experience with educators who may need additional support in this area.
One key skill that helped me stand out when I transitioned from the classroom to EdTech was the high level of support I provided to my staff at my school site.
As a member of the instructional leadership team, I collaborated closely with colleagues to focus on best practices, analyze data, and strengthen instructional approaches.
Additionally, I was the team lead for our Spanish Immersion Working Group, leading my team through analyzing specific language data and creating a collaborative space where teachers brought ideas to the table in hopes of strengthening the program to best serve our multilingual students.
In this current position, I support educators both in their classrooms and in their implementation of ELD instruction and the Connect to Literacy program.
Having come from the classroom, where I concentrated heavily on strategies for multilingual learners, I can apply that expertise to help teachers effectively integrate ELD practices into their instruction.
One of the things that excites me most about my new role at Summit K12 is the opportunity to collaborate with educators who share my passion for supporting multilingual learners.
I’m committed to finding meaningful ways to empower like-minded colleagues in the classroom. Visiting different school sites has allowed me to better understand their unique climates and practices, which has been both insightful and rewarding. I especially value the chance to work alongside educators at all stages of their careers—whether they are new to teaching, veteran teachers, or teachers who continue to demonstrate a deep passion for meeting their students’ needs.
Seeing the positive impact that my team is making across districts has been incredibly fulfilling.
The greatest motivation for me comes from knowing that students are benefiting from our work. Through our solution, they are not only being supported but also cared for in meaningful ways. I began my career in education because of my passion for helping children, and my transition into EdTech was driven by the opportunity to positively impact even more students across multiple districts. Hearing directly from our partners about the difference our solution makes in their students’ lives is both inspiring and motivating. It fuels my commitment to continue collaborating with others who share the same passion for meeting students where they are and ensuring their success.
My favorite part of the day is being on-site for professional development sessions. I truly enjoy working with other teachers and seeking out ways to support them in their classrooms. Working closely with school sites to implement our solution is fulfilling, and it provides me with new perspectives. I am really looking forward to conducting Learning Walks, where I will be able to provide model lessons to our partners and work directly with students again.
When I first joined, I thought my role would focus solely on delivering professional development—but it has been so much more than that. Being part of this team has given me opportunities to contribute to the growth of the solution and create additional resources to support educators in their instruction.
I’ve collaborated on creating videos that will be embedded within the solution, providing ongoing value to our partners, and I’ve supported the writing of lesson plans that integrate ELD strategies with our content for classroom use.
Ultimately, my experience at Summit K12 has been incredibly rewarding because of the diverse opportunities I’ve had to grow, contribute, and make an impact.
At Summit K12, students and educators are always at the forefront. Our solutions are driven by evidence-based strategies and research-backed practices designed to support all learners.
Just as important, we believe in building lasting relationships with our stakeholders. Connection and collaboration with our partners are the foundation of our growth and the reason we continue to evolve as a company.
Being part of the company and the Summit K12 team has truly been a pleasure. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across different regional teams and departments, and the support I’ve received has been incredible.
From the very beginning, I knew I had made the right choice in joining the Summit team because everyone made me feel so welcomed and promoted a climate where they just want you to succeed.
If I had to highlight 1 thing, it would be my team. They radiate positivity and create an environment where mistakes are embraced as learning opportunities rather than setbacks. This supportive and collaborative culture made my transition much smoother. Each team member brings something unique to the table, and our diverse backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger together.
A career in edtech can provide a bridge for your expertise and passion for teaching while contributing to the wider community. We hope wherever you use your skills, you're able to make an impact on what matters to you most.
For more on this series, check out From Teaching to Edtech | Working at Summit K12