My name is Tami Greene-Batista. I was born and raised in sunny Encinitas, California. I love the ocean, nature, working with young children, gardening, and the sun. I lived in Encinitas until I was 18, going to neighborhood schools: Flora Vista, Diegueno Middle School, and San Dieguito Academy. When I graduated High School I grew wings and finally left the comfort of my warm little beach town. This was when the travel bug and the outside world bit...
I moved north to attend UC Santa Cruz (so really, I just moved to a colder little beach town) and lived there for 2 1/2 years. I wasn't completely happy at UCSC so I decided to take time off. During this time off, I went to New Orleans and volunteered for the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, moved to Kaua'i and worked and lived on an organic, permaculture farm (at this point in time, I completely fell in love with playing in the dirt and gardening). I lived on Kaua'i for 6 months and then moved to Santa Barbara where I received my B.A in Global Studies from UC Santa Barbara. While attending UC Santa Barbara, I spent my last semester in Brazil studying Portuguese, Brazilian culture and Brazilians, the beach, and teaching English in a Favela (slums). One month after moving back from Brazil, to Encinitas, I met my husband, Rodrigo (who is Brazilian ;) ). We spent a summer in Santa Barbara where I received a TEFL certificate (teaching English as a foreign language).
This last year was spent in Brazil visiting family, traveling, and practicing my Portuguese, and living on Kaua'i. While living on Kaua'i for the second time, I became adamant about following my dream and not waiting on tourists! Consequently, we moved back to Encinitas and I am now attending San Marcos State to get my teaching certificate, so I can do what I love... TEACH! In terms of being technologically gifted, I am not. I have a regular cell phone that calls and texts. I have a computer that I use to hold my pictures, music, emails, and school assignments. I appreciate the technology in my life, but I prefer to be in the ocean, in the garden, or with physical people. I am sceptical of the progress of technology. I am afraid that it is, in fact, forcing us to distance ourselves from one-another, rather than bringing us closer. I am hoping that Educ. 422 can show me how technology can positively bring people together.
CSUSM's commitment to cultivate teachers who are dedicated to diversity, educational equity, and social justice is very important to me. While teaching English in the Calabar Favela in Brazil I saw, first hand, the direct effect of social, economic, and racial discrimination and exclusion in the educational system. This is a world wide issue. Thus, everyday, I strive to bring equity into my community, my world, and my classroom.
