Since 2008, Carmen Miranda, EdD, has shared her knowledge as an assistant professor with Universidad Ana G. Méndez, a university located in Puerto Rico. She has been interested in education since childhood when she would pretend to teach her dolls. Prior to working as a university professor, Dr. Miranda taught for more than 30 years as a public school teacher, serving in this capacity from 1975 to 2008. For much of her professional life, she believed that she would retire when her public school teaching career ended. However, she realized that she could not give up working in education due to her indomitable passion for teaching and helping her students achieve their life goals.
Dr. Miranda initially prepared for her career in education at Universidad de Puerto Rico, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary and secondary education. She continued her higher education at Universidad Ana G. Méndez, obtaining a master’s degree in English as a second language. Later, in her 60s, she returned to her higher education while working as a professor, completing a doctorate in curriculum instruction at Capella University. Alongside her formal degrees, Dr. Miranda is a licensed teacher. As a public school educator, she taught third-, fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students, as well as high school students. At Universidad Ana G. Méndez, she teaches writing.
For her professional excellence in public education, Dr. Miranda was recognized with the Teacher of the Year award, an honor she considers among the highlights of her career. She has additionally been featured in the Marquis Who’s Who Millennium Magazine and received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor given by Marquis. Dr. Miranda was selected for inclusion in Marquis Top Educators and maintains membership with multiple professional organizations related to her field, including the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She is also a member of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and has served as the president of the eastern Puerto Rico chapter of the organization since 2020.
Outside of her professional achievements, Dr. Miranda says that her own children are the most significant accomplishments of her life. Her eldest son works as a truck driver in the United States, while her second son is a federal government engineer in Puerto Rico. In her extended family, Dr. Miranda is proud of her nephew who works with the NBC television affiliate in Miami.
Alongside her primary roles in the classroom, Dr. Miranda has found success through her written works. She authored her doctoral dissertation, “Generation Z: Rethinking, Teaching and Learning,” through TESOLgram, a newsletter that updates members about the organization. She also has been interviewed by publications that have sought her expertise and wisdom gained during her career about writing and other topics. Reflecting on her own journey while paying it forward, Dr. Miranda advises aspiring teachers to believe in themselves and treat all students as individuals who have individual needs.
Throughout her storied, veteran career as an educator, Dr. Miranda has witnessed the development of the field through the advent and application of technology and notes that the shift to virtual education has made offering quality education more difficult. She worries about the lack of accountability and gaps in communication and connection brought about by the increasing move to online education. Despite these challenges, Dr. Miranda plans to continue her professional development as an educator, working on leadership skills and pursuing a certificate in educational neuroscience.
When Dr. Miranda is not teaching, she most enjoys spending time with her daughter. She also likes to read and watch Netflix. Within the next five years, she will consider working part-time and eventually plans to retire and travel extensively.